Speaking to hundreds of Texans attending a Tea Party Express event in Brenham on Saturday, State Sen. Glenn Hegar (R-Katy) announced the kick-off of his re-election campaign.

HEGAR

Hegar, whose district includes the western half of Fort Bend County, made the announcement from the steps of the Washington County Courthouse as part of the 19-day Tea Party Express II that began its cross-country tour on Oct. 26 and will travel more than 7,000 miles during the one-year point from the 2010 elections.

Hegar, who was recently named Chairman of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, has represented the 18th State Senatorial District since 2006. 

He said he was proud to make his re-election announcement in front of a group of people who were taking an active interest in the critical issues facing Texas and the nation.

“I am proud to kick-off my campaign for a second-term in the Texas Senate before a group of my constituents who love their state and love their country, and who are willing to speak out in defense of our constitutional freedoms and in support of the conservative values that have made Texas and America strong,” Hegar said.

He went on to say that those freedoms were under constant assault both at home and abroad and asked those in attendance to remember the men and women in the armed forces who defend those freedoms. Hegar especially asked the crowd to remember those who were the victims of Thursday’s attack at Fort Hood.

In his first term in the Texas Senate and during his two terms in the Texas House of Representatives, Hegar has established himself as a state conservative leader. He said he was proud of his conservative record.

“I am proud of my service in the Texas Senate and my record as a true conservative who has strongly defended the values of faith, family and freedom. I am seeking reelection to the Texas Senate so that I can continue to reduce government inefficiencies, save taxpayer dollars, and provide common sense solutions to problems facing everyday Texans,” Senator Hegar said in making his announcement.

Hegar, who is also the youngest member of the Texas Senate, was appointed last month as the Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. He became the first freshman legislator to serve as the chairman of the influential commission.

The Sunset commission was created in 1977 by the Texas Legislature to identify and eliminate waste, duplication, and inefficiency in state government agencies. The Sunset Advisory Commission is estimated to have saved Texas taxpayers over $736 million from 1982 to 2003.

Hegar suggested to the Tea Party activists that the United States Congress should consider replicating the Sunset Advisory Commission at the federal level to seek ways to cut rather than expand the size and scope of government.

Hegar also serves as the Chairman of the Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus. During his leadership of the caucus he has focused much of his work on protecting the Second Amendment rights of Texans and strengthening the rights of sportsman and hunters in the state. Earlier this year, he was recognized for his strong defense of the right to keep and bear arms with the Doc Brown Legislator of the Year Award for 2009 from the Texas State Rifle Association.

Additionally, Hegar serves as a member of the committees on Natural Resources, Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Nominations and Criminal Justice. He also serves as a member of the Environmental Flows Advisory Group and is a member of the Legislature’s Rural Caucus.

Recently, Texans for Lawsuit Reform recognized Senator Hegar awarding him with their Civil Justice Leadership Award for his work in ensuring that Texas retains a world class civil justice system and for his efforts in defending the lawsuit reforms that helped bring new jobs and opportunities to Texas.

Among his awards, the Texas Association of Business recently named Hegar as a “Champion for Free Enterprise,” its most prestigious award. In prior sessions, he was recognized as Best Legislator and the Rookie of the Year for the 80th Session by Capitol Inside; received the Legislative Excellence Award from the Texas Municipal Police Association; was named a Star for Rural Texas by the Texas Farm Bureau and was awarded the Perfectly Pro-Life Award from Texas Right to Life.

Hegar holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from Texas A&M University, a M.A. in International Economic Relations from St. Mary’s University, a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law and a Masters of Law in Agricultural Law from the University of Arkansas School of Law.

A sixth generation Texan, Hegar farms land that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. He, his wife Dara and their children Claire, Julia and Jonah, live in Katy, where they attend Memorial Lutheran Church.