Pete P. Gallego, 47, is a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 74, which includes 13 counties in southwest Texas. The 74th House district is the largest House district and the largest Texas U.S.-Mexico border district stretching nearly 39,000 square miles and containing over half of the Texas/Mexico border. It comprises nearly 15% of the land area of Texas.
Elected in 1990, Representative Gallego is the first Hispanic to represent this vast border district. In 1991, he became the first freshman member and the first ethnic minority member elected as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, a post he held until January of 2001. In 2001, Representative Gallego was unanimously elected chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus (MALC), a group of 43 House members who are of Mexican-American descent or who serve a significant Mexican-American constituency. Representative Gallego served as MALC Chair for a record-setting 8 years. During his tenure as MALC chair, he played an active role in organizing Latino legislative caucuses across the country. He is a founding member of the national Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs (BHCC) and served as its first chair.
Now in his tenth term, Representative Gallego is Chair of the Committee of Criminal Jurisprudence and serves as a member of the Committees on General Investigating and State Affairs. His career has included chairmanships of the General Investigating Committee and several select and subcommittees. He has also served as a member of the Sunset Commission and the Committees on Appropriations, Calendars, Criminal Jurisprudence, Higher Education, Elections, Government Reform, and Natural Resources.
An Alpine native, Gallego graduated from Sul Ross State University (SRSU) in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in political science. In 1985, he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas School of Law. Representative Gallego is a member of the Sul Ross State University Hall of Fame as an outstanding booster, and has been named a Distinguished Alumnus by the SRSU Ex-Student Association.
In the Legislature, Representative Gallego is an expert in appropriations, law enforcement, criminal justice and victims' rights. He served on the joint House/Senate conference committee on the state budget for five consecutive sessions from 1993 to 2001 and has received numerous awards, including the Advocate for Justice award from a coalition of Texas victims' groups and the Star of Texas public service award by Common Cause of Texas. He has previously been selected as one of Texas Monthly's Ten Best legislators. Most recently, Representative Gallego received the prestigious OHTLI Award from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contributions to the betterment of the Mexican-American community in Texas.
A supporter of both public and higher education, Representative Gallego was honored by the Eagle Pass Independent School District in 2000 with the naming and dedication of the Pete Gallego Elementary School. He has also been honored by the Texas State University System, The University of Texas System, and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas in appreciation for his support of higher education.
The National Council of State Governments awarded Representative Gallego a prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship, recognizing him as one of the outstanding young leaders in the nation. He also serves on the board of directors of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). Representative Gallego is also a past chair of the Texas Lyceum Association, an organization comprised of individuals under the age of 45 who have demonstrated leadership abilities throughout the State.
Representative Gallego still lives in Alpine, where he was born and raised. He is of counsel to the law firm of Brown McCarroll, LLP, which has offices in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Dallas, and Alpine. In addition, he and his wife own several properties, including the property where the Alpine Guest Lofts are located. The Lofts are operated separately as a small boutique inn by Carla McFarland, formerly the long-time owner of Alpine's historic Holland Hotel.