Byron Cook (politician)
| Byron Cook | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 8th district | |
|
Assumed office 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Sadler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 8, 1954 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence |
Corsicana, Navarro County Texas |
| Alma mater | Navarro College |
| Occupation | Rancher; Businessman |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Website | byroncook.com |
Byron Curtis Cook (born April 8, 1954) is a businessman, rancher, and Republican politician from Corsicana in east central Texas, who is a state representative for the counties of Anderson, Freestone, Hill, and Navarro.
Business and ranching
Cook's father, the late Leland P. Cook, was the former circulation manager for the Corsicana Daily Sun. Leland left the newspaper to start a family business. Later, he and Cook founded Tradewest, a now-defunct video game company and licensee of several of Nintendo’s most popular video games such as Double Dragon, Battletoads, and Super Off Road. Today, Cook continues an interest in diversified businesses and in ranching.
Charges against Ken Paxton
Cook is one of the complainants in the charges filed against Attorney General Ken Paxton, a fellow Republican.[1]
Service in the Texas House of Representatives
Cook is the chairman of the Texas House State Affairs Committee and as a member of the Texas House Calendars Committee. He is also a member of the Texas House Republican Caucus and Texas Conservative Coalition. Cook has also served in past legislative sessions as Chairman of the Texas House Committees on Civil Practices and the Committee on Environmental Regulation; and as a member of the Texas Sunset Commission.
| Year | Empower Texans | Young Conservatives of Texas | Texas Eagle Forum | Texas Right to Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 61 | 48 | 47 (F) | 63 |
| 2013 | 42 | 44 | 69 | 96 |
| 2011 | D+ | 64 | 40 | 104 |
| 2009 | 75 | 74 | 68 | - |
| 2007 | 80 | 77 | 68 | - |
| 2005 | - | 75 | 76 | - |
| 2003 | - | 75 | - | - |
Policy and leadership
Cook claims a commitment to cutting taxes, protecting traditional family values, supporting rural communities, and reducing the size of government.
Cook is a recipient of numerous legislative leadership awards including the 2014 "True Texas Hero Award" from Texas Comptroller Susan Combs for authoring and passing legislation to help the state collect more than half a billion dollars in previously unpaid alcohol and tobacco tax revenue. Some of Cook's other leadership awards include a Patient Advocacy Award by the Texas Medical Association and a Rural Government Advocacy Award by the Texas Municipal League. In 2007, Cook was named by Texas Monthly magazine as one of the “Top Ten” legislators in Texas. In 2010, Cook was recognized for his leadership on behalf of the Republican Party of Texas with its “Texas House Debt-Busters” program. Prior to serving in the legislature, Cook served as the president of his local Rotary International and was a co-recipient of the Corsicana Chamber of Commerce Arthur J. Keeney Community Service Award. In the 2013 and 2015 legislative sessions, Cook worked with Democrats to create a “Texas Resident Driver’s Permit”, a Texas Driver's License for illegal immigrants.[2]
Recognition
Organizations supporting Cook in his past elections have included the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, National Rifle Association, the Texas State Rifle Association, Texas Alliance for Life, Texas Association of Business, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Texas Medical Association, Texas Association of Realtors, Texas Public Employees Association, Texas Civil Justice League, Texas State Teachers Association, Texas Classroom Teachers Association, Rural Friends of Electric Cooperatives, Texas Association of Builders, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, and the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters.
Reelection in 2016
On October 30, 2015, Cook hosted his re-election campaign kickoff party at the Corsicana Country Club in Corsicana.[3] According to reports, there were between 70-75 peaceful protectors outside the event.[4] Among the protestors were Michael Quinn Sullivan, the president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and Jim Graham, the president of the anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life, who were ticketed by the Corsicana Police Department for staging a parade without a permit.[5]
An ally of Joe Straus, the Moderate Republican Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio,[6] Cook narrowly defeated a conservative Tea Party movement challenger, Thomas Max McNutt (born 1990), the vice president of the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016.[7] Cook won nomination to his eighth term by 222 votes, 14,396 (50.4 percent) to McNutt's 14,174 (49.6 percent).[8]
References
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/us/securities-fraud-charges-bring-texas-attorney-general-to-county-jail.html?_r=0
- ↑ http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-03-13/bill-would-allow-some-undocumented-immigrants-get-driving-permits#.VpWqeH0rKVM
- ↑ Bradock, Scott (30 October 2015). "Trick or Treat: Chairman Cook counterpunches Empower Texans as he kicks off campaign". Quorum Report. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ↑ Sullivan, Michael Quinn. "Threatened With Jail". EmpowerTexans.com. Empower Texans. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ↑ Sullivan, Michael Quinn. "Threatened With Jail". EmpowerTexans.com. Empower Texans. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ↑ David Saleh Rauf, "Straus among GOP establishment in fights with tea party", San Antonio Express-News, February 27, 2016, pp. 1, A10
- ↑ "Recent News: The Genesis Behind Byron Cook’s Signature Legislation This Session Endorses McNutt". thomasmcnutt.com. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ↑ "Republican primary returns". Texas Secretary of State. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
| Texas House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul Sadler |
Texas State Representative for District 8 (Anderson, Freestone, Hill and Navarro counties)
Byron Curtis Cook |
Succeeded by Incumbent |