David Dewhurst Bio
David Dewhurst is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Texas.
Official Website: http://www.daviddewhurst.com
Bio from Website: David Dewhurst is a native Texan, proud veteran, successful businessman, rancher and family man. He was elected Lieutenant Governor and President of the Texas Senate in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. A fiscal conservative, Dewhurst helped pass the largest tax cut in state history, balanced four state budgets, and has continued to protect taxpayers by building and maintaining a healthy reserve of more than $8 billion in our state?s Rainy Day Fund. As a result, Texas has led the nation in private sector job growth over the last decade and is repeatedly recognized as the best state in America to do business. Dewhurst believes every child in Texas deserves a quality education. In 2009, he worked to increase funding for public schools by $1.2 billion and for colleges and universities by $1.9 billion, without raising taxes. In 2007, Dewhurst led the effort to pass one of the toughest Jessica?s Laws in the nation. The law, part of Dewhurst?s Texas Children First initiative, imposes tough penalties against child predators, including the death penalty as an option for the most violent repeat offenders. In the last two sessions of the legislature, Dewhurst also worked to secure more than $230 million in state funding to improve border security, including additional law enforcement officers, 150 patrol vehicles, five new helicopters and other high-tech surveillance equipment.
The Dallas Morning News called Dewhurst?s first term leading the Senate ?a demonstration of steadiness, resolve and consensus building.? The Houston Chronicle has called Dewhurst ?an exceptional leader.? In 1998, Dewhurst became the first Republican since Reconstruction to be elected Texas Land Commissioner. At the Texas General Land Office, where he served from 1999-2002, Dewhurst reduced the workforce and budget, and turned back money each of two biennia to Texas? taxpayers. He certified almost $1 billion in below-market interest rate loans to veterans to honor their service and to stimulate the Texas economy, and helped protect the environment and increase tourism by restoring Texas? beaches and bays.
In the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Dewhurst was appointed by Governor Rick Perry as Chairman of the Governor?s Task Force on Homeland Security. Dewhurst began his business career in the mid-1970s after serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. State Department. He founded Falcon Seaboard, a Texas-based, diversified energy and investments company. An early developer in the mid-1980s in the electric cogeneration business, he has earned a reputation as an innovative and successful businessman. Dewhurst has been a longtime community and civic leader in his hometown of Houston, where he has served on civic and charitable boards. He earned his BA degree from the University of Arizona, where he played college basketball. Dewhurst breeds and raises registered Black Angus cattle, and he rides cutting horses in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) competitions. Dewhurst is honorary Vice President of the AQHA and was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009. A family man, Dewhurst lives in Houston with his wife, Patricia ?Tricia? Hamilton Dewhurst, and their young daughter Carolyn.
