Drew Alan Springer Jr. (born October 27, 1966)[1] is an American businessman and politician serving as a Republican member of the Texas Senate who represents District 30.
Drew Springer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 30th district | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Pat Fallon |
| Succeeded by | Brent Hagenbuch (elect) |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 68th district | |
| In office January 8, 2013 – January 6, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rick Hardcastle |
| Succeeded by | David Spiller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Drew Alan Springer Jr. October 27, 1966 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence(s) | Muenster, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | University of North Texas (BS) |
| Occupation | Financial Services |
Springer announced on November 7, 2023 that he would not seek re-election in 2024 and would spend more time focused on managing the family money management firm.[2]
Education
editSpringer graduated from Weatherford High School in 1985. He then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of North Texas.[3]
Career
editA businessman, Springer is a former controller of a railcar company. He thereafter was a manager of three companies with a total of more than 1,000 employees. In 2005, he joined his father in business in the financial services industry.[4]
Springer was first elected in 2012 when the incumbent Republican, Rick Hardcastle of Vernon,[5] stepped down after fourteen years in office[6] because of multiple sclerosis.[7] Springer was appointed to the Agriculture and Livestock and the Land and Resource Management committees.[8]
It initially appeared that Springer had lost the 2012 Republican primary election in a heavily rural district, when his chief opponent, Trent McKnight, finished with 49 percent of the vote.[6][9] However, in the runoff election on July 31, with backing from two eliminated candidates in the primary, Springer topped McKnight, 8,434 (56.4 percent) to 6,521 (43.6 percent).[10] Springer was unopposed in the 2012 general election in his heavily Republican district.
Springer noted that McKnight is a former Democrat who had never voted in a Republican primary election until his own race in 2012. The winner in eighteen of the twenty-two counties, McKnight blamed his loss on a high turnout in Cooke County, where there was also a competitive election for sheriff, and low participation in the counties in which McKnight led in the primary, despite the high-profile U.S. Senate primary between David Dewhurst and Ted Cruz. In addition to Cooke, Springer won in neighboring Montague as well as Garza and Floyd counties.[11]
Springer represented the district 68th of the Texas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.[12] The district, the second largest in the state in terms of square miles, includes a wide swath of twenty-two counties.[6][8]
In 2013, Springer joined the large Republican majority in the Texas House in enacting H.B. 2 to restrict abortion. Springer co-sponsored the legislation.[13] The legislation was subsequently struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.[14]
Personal life
editHe and his wife, Lydia, who married in 1991, have three children. They reside in Muenster, Texas.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Drew Alan Springer". texastribune.org. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ Svitek, Patrick. State Sen. Drew Springer will not seek reelection in 2024, Texas Tribune, November 7, 2023.
- ^ Representatives, Texas House of. "Texas House of Representatives". www.house.texas.gov. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Weatherford grad takes his seat as state legislator, February 1, 2013". Weatherford Democrat. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Rick Hardcastle". lrl.state.tx.us. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Doug McDonough, "Drew Springer wins Texas House District 68 nomination," August 1, 2012". myplainview.com. August 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Stem cells for Texas Representative Rick Hardcastle". YouTube. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "Drew Springer Jr". lrl.state.tx.us. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Texas Republican runoff primary returns, July 31, 2012". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ Enrique Rangel (August 1, 2012). "Springer takes office in Tuesday surprise". Amarillo.com. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "State Rep. Springer announces district tour July 30". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Texas HB2 | 2013 | 83rd Legislature 2nd Special Session".
- ^ Adam Liptak, Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas Abortion Restrictions, The New York Times (June 28, 2016).