Gary VanDeaver

Gary Wayne VanDeaver (born September 25, 1958)[1] is an American politician serving as the state representative for the Texas House of Representatives' 1st district, which currently encompasses Bowie, Franklin, Lamar, and Red River counties in northeastern Texas. In 2022, the new House District 1 includes Bowie, Cass, Lamar, Morris, and Red River Counties.[2] He is a retired lifelong educator with the New Boston Independent School District in New Boston, Texas, where he still resides. VanDeaver has been re-elected by his district three times, in 2016, 2018, and 2020.[3] He has defeated the previous incumbent, George Lavender, twice, the second time by an even larger margin.[4] He identifies as a Conservative Republican, and is seeking re-election to his House seat for a fifth term in 2022.[5]

Gary Wayne VanDeaver
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 1st district
Assumed office
January 13, 2015
Preceded byGeorge Lavender
Personal details
Born (1958-09-25) September 25, 1958
Grimes County, Texas, US
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Pamela Sue Nevill VanDeaver
​
​
(m. 1983)​
Children2
Residence(s)New Boston, Texas
Alma materTexas A&M University–Commerce
OccupationEducator
Websitegaryvandeaver.com

Background

Though born in Grimes County south of College Station, Texas,[1] VanDeaver was reared on a cattle operation near Clarksville in Red River County in northeast Texas and graduated in 1977 from Clarksville High School. He is a fourth-generation Texas cattleman. He holds a doctorate obtained in 1996 in professional education from Texas A&M University–Commerce, formerly East Texas State University. In December 2014, he retired as superintendent of the New Boston district. Having begun as a vocational agriculture teacher, VanDeaver has worked for thirty-three years in the education profession.[6][7]

He is a member of the Red River County Fair Association and the Bogata Rodeo Association, also in Red River County, and he sits on the board of the Texas Future Farmers of America. He is a past president of the New Boston Lions International and his local Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the National Rifle Association and a deacon and Sunday school teacher at the First Baptist Church of New Boston. VanDeaver has been married since 1983 to the former Pamela Sue Nevill (born 1963), who is also an educator. The couple has two grown daughters, Kacey and Katelyn VanDeaver, and three grandchildren.[6][7]

Political Life

In the primary election held on March 4, 2014, VanDeaver, in his last year as school superintendent, unseated the two-term District 1 Republican incumbent, George Lavender, a businessman from Texarkana in far northeastern Texas. VanDeaver received 9,400 votes (54.3 percent) to Lavender's 7,898 (45.7 percent).[8] VanDeaver had no Democratic opposition in the general election held on November 4, 2014. Both Lavender and VanDeaver call themselves "conservative Republicans."

VanDeaver defeated George Lavender in a rematch in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016.[9] VanDeaver received 18,263 votes (61.9 percent) to Lavender's 11,242 (38.1 percent).[10]

VanDeaver ran unopposed in the 2018 Republican primary.[11] VanDeaver ran unopposed in the general election held on November 6, 2018; no Democrats or third party candidates filed to run for the legislative seat.[12]

VanDeaver ran unopposed in the 2020 Republican primary.[13] VanDeaver ran unopposed in the general election held on November 3, 2020; no Democrats or third party candidates filed to run for the legislative seat.[14]

VanDeaver is running again in the 2022 Republican primary.[15] VanDeaver is the only candidate in the race who has been endorsed by the Associated Republicans of Texas, National Rife Association, Texas Alliance for Life, Texans for Life Coalition, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, Texas Municipal Police Association, Texas Farm Bureau, National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Forestry PAC, Texas State Teachers Association, Association of Texas Professional Educators, and Governor Greg Abbott .[16]

References
  1. "Gary Wayne VanDeaver". search.ancestry.com. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  2. "Texas Legislature Online - 87(3) History for HB 1". capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  3. Representatives, Texas House of. "Texas House of Representatives". www.house.texas.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  4. "2016 Republican Party Primary Election - RESULTS". 2016-03-06. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  5. "Texas House Rep. VanDeaver seeking re-election in 2022". Texarkana Gazette. 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  6. "Conservative Republican Gary VanDeaver for State Representative". garyvandeaver.com. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  7. "Gary VanDeaver". Texarkana Business Journal. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  8. "Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014". team1.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  9. "2016 Filed Primary Candidates". texasgop.org. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  10. "Republican primary returns". Texas Secretary of State. March 1, 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  11. Murphy, Ryan (March 6, 2018). "Texas Primaries 2018: Full election results". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  12. "Gary VanDeaver". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  13. Astudillo, Carla (2020-03-03). "Texas primary 2020 results: Live updates from elections". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  14. "Texas 2020 election results". The Texas Tribune. 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  15. "Press". Gary VanDeaver. 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  16. "Endorsements". Gary VanDeaver. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
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