Brandon Creighton

Brandon Creighton
Creighton speaking at a Republican event in Conroe, Texas on October 16, 2018.
Member of the Texas Senate
from the 4th district
Assumed office
August 26, 2014
Preceded byTommy Williams
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 16th district
In office
January 9, 2007 – August 26, 2014
Preceded byRuben Hope
Succeeded byWill Metcalf
Personal details
Born (1970-08-05) August 5, 1970 (age 54)
Montgomery County, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children2
ResidenceConroe, Texas
Alma materUniversity of Texas, Austin (BA)
Oklahoma City University (JD)
OccupationAttorney
Signature

Charles Brandon Creighton (born August 5, 1970)[1] is an American attorney and politician from Conroe, Texas, who is a Republican member of the Texas Senate from District 4, and a former member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 16.

Background

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Brandon Creighton was born in Conroe, Texas to Patricia (née Kincannon) and Morris Creighton. He is the youngest of their three children. He is a long-term member of the First Baptist Church of Conroe. He is an eighth-generation Montgomery County resident, where he resides with his family.[1][2] Creighton graduated from Conroe High School, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[1]

While he was a student at the University of Texas, Creighton worked as a Senate Messenger, and is the first Senate Messenger to ever go on to serve as a State Senator. [citation needed] He also served as a policy advisor in the Texas Senate.

Creighton is vice president and general counsel of the Signorelli Company, a home and office building development firm in Conroe.[3] He is also a rancher.[2]

Political career

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Creighton's first campaign was for the Texas House District 16 in 2002 (based entirely in suburban Montgomery County, near Houston in the southeastern portion of the state). He lost to the incumbent, attorney Ruben W. Hope, Jr., 6,126 (55.6 percent) to 4,884 (44.4 percent).[4] In 2006, Hope decided to retire and not seek re-election.[5]

In 2006 after Hope's decision to retire, Creighton joined two intraparty rivals, Dale Inman and Vicky Rudy, in the Republican primary. Creighton won the Republican nomination for House District 16 with 56.6 percent of the vote.[6] In the 2006 general election, Creighton defeated the Democrat Pat Poland, 23,945 (75 percent) to 7,963 (25 percent).[7] Since first winning the seat in 2006, Creighton has faced no further primary or general election opponents.[3]

While serving in the Texas House of Representatives for the 80th Legislative Session, Creighton was appointed to serve as Vice Chair of General Investigating and Ethics, Vice Chair of Local Government Ways and Means, Natural Resources and State Water Funding.[8]

Creighton ran unopposed in 2008, and won re-election with 49,263 votes.[9]

In 2009, during the 81st Texas Legislative Session, Creighton was appointed to serve as a Member of the Appropriations Committee, the Calendars Committee, General Investigating and Ethics and Natural Resources.[8]

Creighton again did not draw a challenger in the 2010 election, and was re-elected for a 3rd term to the Texas House of Representatives.

In 2011, Creighton served as Chair of the Committee on State Sovereignty, Vice Chair of General Investigating and Ethics, and appointed to serve on Natural Resources and the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee. He was also appointed to the Medicaid Reform Waiver Legislative Oversight Committee and Texas Response to Sequestration Interim Committee.[8][10][11]

On January 11, 2019, Creighton filed Senate Bill 345 with the 86th Legislature and entitled it the Jones Forest Preservation Act ("Jones Forest Act"). The Jones Forest Act protects the 1,722 acre William Goodrich Jones State Forest from development. In 2018, Texas A&M University suggested that the university would develop a Texas A&M campus on the land, which sits next to The Woodlands, Texas. Neighborhood associations in the area complained that the development would add to traffic congestion and eliminate a forest that has been part of Texas heritage since 1923.[12][13]

In January 2023, during the 88th Texas Legislative Session, Creighton was appointed to serve as Chairman of the Education Committee of the Senate and as Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee. He was also appointed as a member of various committees, which included Business & Commerce, Finance, Jurisprudence, and the special committee on Redistricting.[14]

2014 elections

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On October 3, 2013, State Senator Tommy Williams said he would not run again in the State Senate Republican primary election scheduled for March 4, 2014.[15][16]

In May 10, 2014, special election to fill the Senate seat that Williams left, Creighton came in first place with 45 percent of the vote.[17] Creighton received 45.2 percent, Toth 23.7 percent, Bunch 21.8 percent, and Galloway 9.3 percent.[17] Creighton and Toth faced other in a runoff election on August 5, 2014.[17]

Creighton won the August 5, 2014, special election runoff for the District 4 seat in the Texas Senate, 67 to 33 percent, over fellow former state representative Republican Steve Toth of The Woodlands.[18][19]

Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said both Creighton and Toth "are significantly more conservative than Williams."[20]

Views

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Abortion

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In 2017, he sponsored, in the State Senate, House Bill 214, which limited insurance coverage for abortion procedures in Texas.[21] This law bans private and public health insurance plans from offering coverage for abortion except through the purchase of an optional rider, which insurance companies, HMOs, and employers are not required to provide and which must be purchased prior to pregnancy.[22]

Confederate monuments

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In 2017, Creighton introduced legislation, SB 112,[23] which would forbid local governments from moving or changing memorials that have stood on public lands for more than 40 years. Monuments older than 20 years and less than 40 years old could be moved only with legislative approval, and under the legislation those monuments would need to be placed in "a prominent location." Monuments less than 20 years old could be moved if approved by the Texas legislature, the Texas Historical Commission, or the State Preservation Board.[23]

The measure would prevent San Antonio officials from removing the obelisk statue of an unnamed Confederate soldier in the downtown Travis Park.[24][25]

LGBTQ rights

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In 2019, Creighton sponsored SB 15, which weakens anti-discrimination laws passed by Texas cities. Creighton said it stood for "Texas values."[26][27][28]

Election results

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2022 general election for Texas Senate, 4th district
General election results, November 8, 2022[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brandon Creighton 201,917 69.97
Democratic Misty Bishop 86,652 30.03
Total votes 288,569 100
2020 general election for Texas Senate, 4th district
General election results, November 3, 2020[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brandon Creighton 281,105 67.35
Democratic Jason "Jay" Stittleburg 126,019 30.19
Libertarian Cameron Brock 10,277 2.46
Total votes 417,401 100
2016 general election for Texas Senate, 4th district
General election results, November 8, 2016[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brandon Creighton 239,869 87.33
Libertarian Jenn West 34,791 12.67
Total votes 274,660 100
2014 Special Election
Republican special election results, May 10, 2014[17][33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brandon Creighton 13,705 45.18
Republican Steve Toth 7,193 23.71
Republican Gordy Bunch 6,612 21.80
Republican Michael Galloway 2,818 9.29
Total votes 30,328 100
2006 general election for Texas Representative, 16th district
General election results, November 7, 2006[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brandon Creighton 23,945 75.04
Democratic Pat Poland 7,963 24.96
Total votes 31,908 100

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Brandon Creighton's Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Chris Contelesse, "Gordy Bunch, Steve Toth, Brandon Creighton vie for state Senate", October 24, 2013". yourhoustonnews.com. October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Brandon Creighton District 16 (R-Conroe)". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  4. ^ "2002 Republican primary election returns (House District 16)". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. ^ Fernandez, Lucretia. Ruben Hope: The time is right to retire from District 16 seat, Houston Chronicle, December 22, 2006. Accessed July 21, 2019.
  6. ^ "2006 Republican primary election returns (House District 16)". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  7. ^ "2006 General election returns (House District 16)". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c "Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Member profile". lrl.texas.gov.
  9. ^ "Brandon Creighton". Ballotpedia.
  10. ^ "Brandon Creighton's Voting Records". votesmart.org. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  11. ^ "Brandon Creighton's Ratings and Endorsements". votesmart.org. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  12. ^ Toth, Steve. Creighton and Toth Announce Jones Forest Preservation Act, January 11, 2019.
  13. ^ Forward, Jeff (January 15, 2019). "Toth, Creighton introduce legislation to protect Jones State Forest from development". Houston Chronicle. Houston, Texas. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  14. ^ 88th Legislative Session Texas Senate Committees, Lt Gov Dan Patrick, January 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "Allen Reed, Texas Sen. Tommy Williams to leave Senate; may take job at Texas A&M University System, October 4, 2013". Bryan-College Station Eagle. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  16. ^ "Allen Reed, Texas Sen. Tommy Williams to leave Senate; may take job at Texas A&M University System, October 4, 2013". Bryan-College Station Eagle. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  17. ^ a b c d Ramsey, Ross. Updated: Special Election to Fill Empty Senate Seat, Texas Tribune, May 10, 2014.
  18. ^ Okun, Eli; John Reynolds (August 5, 2014). "Creighton Easily Wins Special State Senate Race". Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  19. ^ Creighton win District 4 State Senate runoff election with commanding lead, WoodslandsOnline, August 5, 2014.
  20. ^ Tim Eaton (August 5, 2014). "Brandon Creighton to represent Houston area in state Senate". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  21. ^ Herskovitz, John. Texas governor signs bill to limit insurance coverage for abortions, Reuters, August 15, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  22. ^ "Texas Insurance Coverage for Abortion Ban (HB 214)". Rewire.News.
  23. ^ a b "Texas Legislature Online - 85(1) Text for SB 112". Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  24. ^ Allie Morris, "Bill against historic monuments' removal, alterations criticized," San Antonio Express-News, August 4, 2017, p. A3.
  25. ^ Morris, Allison (August 4, 2017). "Bill would restrict cities from moving or altering historic monuments". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  26. ^ Moore, Lisa (May 17, 2019). "15 Years After Marriage Equality, Still More Work To Do in Texas". UT News. Austin, Texas. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  27. ^ Samuels, Alex (March 12, 2019). "A fight over paid sick leave is turning into a fight over LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinances". The Texas Tribune.
  28. ^ Platoff, Emma (March 27, 2019). "After helping defeat the "bathroom bill" in 2017, business groups are back to oppose "discriminatory and divisive measures"". The Texas Tribune.
  29. ^ November 8, 2022 General Election, Texas Secretary of State, November 8, 2022.
  30. ^ November 3, 2020 General Election, Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2020.
  31. ^ Astudillo, Carla. Watch live Texas 2020 election results, Texas Tribune, November 3, 2020.
  32. ^ Senate District 4th Election Results, Secretary of State of Texas, November 8, 2016.
  33. ^ Special Election Results[permanent dead link], Secretary of State of Texas, May 10, 2014.
  34. ^ [Race Summary Report, 2006 General Election https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist127_state.htm], Texas Secretary of State, November 7, 2006.
[edit]
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by
Ruben Hope
Texas State Representative from District 16 (Conroe in Montgomery County)
2007–2014
Succeeded by
Will Metcalf
Texas Senate
Preceded by Texas State Senator from District 4
2014–
Succeeded by
Incumbent