Gary VanDeaver
Gary VanDeaver (Republican Party) is a member of theTexas House of Representatives, representingDistrict 1. He assumed office in 2015. His current term ends on January 12, 2027.
VanDeaver (Republican Party) ran for re-election to theTexas House of Representatives to representDistrict 1. He won in the general election onNovember 5, 2024.
On December 1, 2025, VanDeaver announced he would not run for re-election to theTexas House of Representatives District 1 in 2026.[1]
Biography
VanDeaver graduated from East Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce. His professional experience includes working as the superintendent of theNew Boston Independent School District and as a teacher of vocational agriculture.[2]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
VanDeaver was assigned to the following committees:
2021-2022
VanDeaver was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
VanDeaver was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| •Appropriations |
| •House Administration, Vice chair |
| •Public Education |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, VanDeaver served on the following committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| •Appropriations |
| •Public Education |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according toBillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2026
Gary VanDeaver did not file to run for re-election.
2024
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver won election in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gary VanDeaver (R) | 100.0 | 66,843 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 66,843 | ||
 = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver defeatedChris Spencer in the Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on May 28, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver | 53.5 | 11,718 |
| Chris Spencer | 46.5 | 10,178 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 21,896 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver andChris Spencer advanced to a runoff. They defeatedDale Huls in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver | 45.5 | 13,928 |
| ✔ | Chris Spencer | 43.0 | 13,165 | |
 | Dale Huls | 11.4 | 3,496 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 30,589 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Scott Hommel (R)
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for VanDeaver in this election.
2022
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
The general election was canceled. IncumbentGary VanDeaver won election in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 1.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver defeatedGeorge Lavender andRay Null in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver | 62.9 | 13,279 |
 | George Lavender | 29.0 | 6,115 | |
| Ray Null | 8.2 | 1,723 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 21,117 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2020
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver won election in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver (R) | 100.0 | 59,508 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. | Total votes: 59,508 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver | 100.0 | 20,232 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 20,232 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver won election in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver (R) | 100.0 | 43,340 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 43,340 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1
IncumbentGary VanDeaver advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 1 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Gary VanDeaver |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | |||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for theTexas House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held onNovember 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was December 14, 2015.[3]
IncumbentGary VanDeaver ran unopposed in the Texas House of Representatives District 1 general election.[4]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 1 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Gary VanDeaverIncumbent (unopposed) | 100.00% | 49,840 | |
| Total Votes | 49,840 | |||
| Source:Texas Secretary of State | ||||
IncumbentGary VanDeaver defeatedGeorge Lavender in the Texas House of Representatives District 1 Republican Primary.[5][6]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 1 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Gary VanDeaverIncumbent | 61.93% | 18,291 | |
| Republican | George Lavender | 38.07% | 11,246 | |
| Total Votes | 29,537 | |||
Primary
- Main article:Notable Texas primaries, 2016
VanDeaver received the endorsement of the Texas Parent PAC.[7]
Lavender received the endorsements of the following professional groups:[8]
- Texans for Lawsuit Reform
- Texas Apartment Association
- Texas Association of Business
- Texas Association of Realtors
- Texas Farm Bureau AgFund
VanDeaver and Lavender argued over who was the most conservative on the issues. Lavender criticized VanDeaver's record as less conservative than his. "His [VanDeaver's] record is a tough record to get past and he has certainly made some good votes, but he’s made several really bad votes," said Lavender. VanDeaver touted his record on the issues. "I feel really good about my voting record, I feel really good about the way I've represented the district," VanDeaver said.[9]
2014
Elections for all 150 seats in theTexas House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. Those candidates who did not receive 50 percent or more of the vote in their party primary on March 4 faced an additional May 27 primary runoff. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. Thesignature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013.Gary VanDeaver defeated incumbentGeorge Lavender in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[10][11][12]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also:Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gary VanDeaver did not completeBallotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Gary VanDeaver did not completeBallotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Gary VanDeaver did not completeBallotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
VanDeaver's campaign website highlighted the following issues:
| “ | Pro-Life:Defending life is of the upmost importance to Gary VanDeaver. He worked to help pass important pro-life legislation that closes a loophole that previously allowed minor girls to undergo an abortion without parental consent. The 2nd Amendment:As a proud member of the NRA and someone who believes that the Second Amendment must be protected and defended in law, Gary VanDeaver co-authored and helped pass “open carry” legislation, which removed concealment restrictions for Texans with concealed handgun licenses. Transportation:Gary VanDeaver helped to end the practice of diverting funds from the State Highway Fund to other programs. Education:As a retired school superintendent, Gary VanDeaver is working to improve and support public schools in Texas. That is why he authored and passed three new laws to reduce burdensome paperwork by eliminating duplicate reports between state and federal governments, help school districts purchase instructional materials for use in the classroom, and work toward reducing high stakes testing in schools. Religious freedom:Nearly 10 years ago, more than 76 percent of Texas voters amended the Texas Constitution to declare marriage as the “union of one man and one woman.” In recent years, unelected federal judges have overturned the will of the people by striking down laws such as these. That’s why Gary VanDeaver was among more than 100 co-sponsors of an event at the Texas Capitol in support of traditional marriage in Texas, and supported the Pastor Protection Act, which protects pastors and religious organizations from having to participate in same-sex weddings.[13] | ” |
| —Gary VanDeaver[14] | ||
2014
VanDeaver's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[15]
| “ | You can trust Gary to:
| ” |
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf.Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at theFEC website. Clickhere for more on federal campaign finance law andhere for more on state campaign finance law.
| Year | Office | Status | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Won general | $1,755,797 | $1,311,915 |
| 2022 | Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Won general | $372,119 | $336,619 |
| 2020 | Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Won general | $123,762 | N/A** |
| 2018 | Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Won general | $150,736 | N/A** |
| 2014 | Texas House of Representatives, District 1 | Won | $149,638 | N/A** |
| Grand total | $2,552,052 | $1,648,534 | ||
| Sources:OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). | ||||
| ** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle | ||||
| Note: Totals above reflect only available data. | ||||
Scorecards
Ascorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Texas scorecards, email suggestions toeditor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, theTexas State Legislature was not in session. |
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, theTexas State Legislature was in session from January 10 to May 29.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, theTexas State Legislature was not in session. |
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, theTexas State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, theTexas State Legislature was not in session. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, theTexas State Legislature was in its 86th legislative session from January 8 through May 27.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, theTexas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, theTexas State Legislature was in its 85th legislative session from January 10 through May 29. A special session was held from July 18 to August 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, theTexas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, theTexas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1.
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Personal
Note: Pleasecontact us if the personal information below requires an update.
VanDeaver and his wife, Pam, have two daughters. He has served as a member of the Bogata Rodeo Association, National Rifle Association, Red River County Fair Association, on the board of directors of the Texas Future Farmers of America, and as president of the New Boston Lions Club and the New Boston Chamber of Commerce.[2]
Noteworthy events
Tested positive for coronavirus on October 13, 2020
 |
|---|
| Coronavirus pandemic |
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. |
On October 13, 2020, VanDeaver announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.[16]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Candidate Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Officeholder Texas House of Representatives District 1 | Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑‘’KSLA News 12 (Shreveport, Louisiana)’’, "Rep. Gary VanDeaver not seeking reelection in Texas House’’, December 1, 2025
- ↑2.02.1Project Vote Smart, "Gary VanDeaver's Biography," accessed February 17, 2014
- ↑Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 14, 2015
- ↑Texas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑Texas Secretary of State, "1992 - Current Election History results," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑Texas Tribune, "Endorsements for Gary VanDeaver for Texas House (1) - Republican Primary," accessed February 23, 2016
- ↑Texas Tribune, "Endorsements for George Lavender for Texas House (1) - Republican Primary," accessed February 23, 2016
- ↑Texas Tribune, "VanDeaver, Lavender Face Off Again in NE Texas House Race," February 17, 2016
- ↑Texas Secretary of State, "1992 - Current ELECTION HISTORY," accessed December 2, 2014
- ↑The Libertarian Party of Texas, "2014 Texas Representative Candidate List," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑Green Party of Texas, "Greens Release Candidate List," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑13.013.1Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑Gary VanDeaver State Representative, "Issues," accessed February 22, 2016
- ↑Gary VanDeaver Campaign, "Why I'm Running," accessed February 22, 2014(dead link)
- ↑ArkLaTex, "E. Texas state representative postpones events after testing positive for COVID-19," October 13, 2020
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - | Texas House of Representatives District 1 2015-Present | Succeeded by - |
- 2016 general election (winner)
- 2016 incumbent
- 2018 general election (winner)
- 2018 incumbent
- 2018 primary (winner)
- 2020 general election (winner)
- 2020 incumbent
- 2020 primary (winner)
- 2022 general election (winner)
- 2022 incumbent
- 2022 primary (winner)
- 2024 general election (winner)
- 2024 incumbent
- 2024 primary (winner)
- 2024 primary runoff (winner)
- Current member, Texas House of Representatives
- Current state legislative member
- Current state representative
- Marquee, primary candidate, 2024
- Republican Party
- State House candidate, 2016
- State House candidate, 2018
- State House candidate, 2020
- State House candidate, 2022
- State House candidate, 2024
- State house candidates
- Texas
- Texas House of Representatives candidate, 2016
- Texas House of Representatives candidate, 2018
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- Texas House of Representatives candidate, 2022
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- Coronavirus state positive, 2020
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- 2014 challenger
- State House candidate, 2014
- 2014 primary (winner)
- 2014 general election (winner)
- 2014 unopposed
- 2016 primary (winner)
- State representatives first elected in 2014
- 2018 general election
- 2018 unopposed
