GEORGETOWN, TX – After concluding one of the most successful and conservative legislative sessions in history, Dr. Charles Schwertner announced his plan to seek re-election to Texas Senate District 5. Schwertner will start his campaign with $3.5 million cash on hand and multiple endorsements, including an endorsement from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who said he was "proud to endorse and support Dr. Charles Schwertner for reelection to the Texas Senate,” and that "he has been—and will continue to be—a great asset to Senate District 5." Schwertner has also received endorsements from Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, every Republican State Representative in the district, conservative activists, and community and business leaders. As the author of the State’s landmark “Constitutional Carry” law, Schwertner is widely considered one of the most conservative members of the Texas Senate. 

“After finishing one of the most successful and conservative legislative sessions in history, I am humbled to announce my campaign for re-election,” said Schwertner. “Serving the families of Senate District 5 is the honor of a lifetime, and I‘m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish. Just this past session, the Texas Senate drastically improved the lives of everyday Texans by passing stronger border security measures, cutting property taxes, increasing funding for public schools and teacher pay raises, strengthening our electric grid, protecting our elections, and prohibiting foreign adversaries like China from buying Texas land. We also empowered parental rights, strengthened our pro-life and pro-2nd Amendment laws, and passed bail reform to keep violent criminals off our streets. I was proud to play a key role in passing some of the most critical pieces of legislation, and I will continue to work hard and deliver results as your State Senator.” 

First elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2011, and later to the Texas Senate in 2013, Schwertner has earned a reputation as one of the most effective members of the Senate, serving on a number of high-profile committees and authoring and passing some of the state’s most consequential conservative priorities over the past decade. Just this last session, Schwertner authored and passed major conservative priorities, including Senate Bill 8, the 287(g) enforcement bill, which was lauded by President Trump as a major victory in the fight to crack down on illegal immigration and secure the border. Other bills from the 89th Legislative Session include: 

• Senate Bill 706, which honors the Second Amendment rights of lawful gun owners and provides reciprocity for those traveling across state lines with valid permits. 

• Senate Bill 617, which was filed in response to the City of Austin’s purchase of a Williamson County hotel to relocate homeless individuals from Downtown without any input from or notice to local officials or residents. The legislation ensures that no city can sidestep communities again, requiring a public hearing and advance notice before converting any property into homeless housing. 

• Senate Bill 857, which gives law enforcement the discretion to tow vehicles when the driver is unlicensed, holds an invalid license, or lacks insurance. Previously, officers were limited to issuing citations. 

“I am proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the Texas Senate, but my work is far from done,” said Schwertner. “I am more energized and committed than ever to keep Texas the most conservative, prosperous, and freest state in the nation.” 

Other major legislative victories during his tenure include laws that: 

• Enacted “Constitutional Carry,” which allows law-abiding citizens to carry a handgun without a license. 

• Require all state agencies to participate in the E-Verify program to ensure that employees are authorized to work in our country. 

• Protect private property owner rights by requiring condemning entities seeking to acquire property through eminent domain to disclose the appraisal reports used to determine property valuation. 

• Strengthen existing landowner protections by allowing Texans the right to repurchase property seized through eminent domain unless the condemning entity can demonstrate “actual progress” on the project within a defined period of time. 

• Provides property tax relief for all Texans by raising the homestead exemption and compressing the maintenance and operations tax rate. 

• Strengthen the prevention of and preparation for energy emergencies by requiring the weatherization of power facilities, the creation of an emergency alert system, and the establishment of the Texas Energy Reliability Council to improve coordination between state agencies and industry during extreme weather emergencies. 

• Harden the security of the Texas power grid and put in place necessary protections to prevent exposure from cyber or physical attacks by hostile foreign powers. 

• Strengthen the Texas electric grid by encouraging the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of dispatchable electric generation facilities through low-interest loans. 

• Enacted a prohibition on two controversial abortion procedures that involve dismembering an unborn child in the womb or by partially delivering an unborn child in order to terminate its life. The bill also established a ban on the sale or exchange of fetal tissue from elective abortion. 

• Support the Second Amendment by ensuring the state of Texas does not do business with companies that discriminate against the Second Amendment. 

Schwertner’s late father was a decorated Air Force officer, and his mother is a retired mental health nurse. He is a proud 6th-generation Texan from a family of farmers, ranchers, and landowners. In addition to his role in the Texas Legislature, Dr. Schwertner works as a practicing orthopedic surgeon, treating thousands of patients each year. He and his wife, Belinda, reside in Georgetown and have three sons: Carson, Zachary, and Matthew.