Chip Roy

Chip Roy. Charles Eugene "Chip" Roy is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 21st congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he is a prominent figure in the House Freedom Caucus and is known for his staunch conservatism and fiscal hawkishness. His district includes a large swath of Central Texas, encompassing parts of Austin and San Antonio as well as the Texas Hill Country.

Early life and education

Charles Eugene Roy was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and spent much of his youth in Lynchburg, Virginia. He attended the University of Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in government and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Following his undergraduate studies, Roy moved to Texas to attend the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, earning his Juris Doctor degree. His early professional experiences included working on political campaigns and in various legal roles, which shaped his interest in public policy and constitutional law.

Early career

Before his election to Congress, Roy built a career in public service and politics, often in high-profile conservative roles. He served as a federal prosecutor in the Western District of Texas under United States Attorney Johnny Sutton. Roy later became a senior advisor to then-Senator John Cornyn, focusing on judiciary and homeland security issues. He served as First Assistant Attorney General of Texas under Attorney General Ken Paxton, where he was involved in several major lawsuits against the Obama administration. Roy also held the position of chief of staff for Senator Ted Cruz, playing a key role in Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign and the 2013 government shutdown.

U.S. House of Representatives

Roy was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2018, succeeding retiring Republican Lamar Smith. He quickly aligned with the House Freedom Caucus and gained a reputation for principled, sometimes confrontational, conservatism. In the 117th United States Congress, he served as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the House Judiciary Committee. Roy was a vocal opponent of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and played a significant role in the protracted Speaker election in January 2023, leveraging his vote to extract concessions on House rules. He serves on the House Rules Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

Political positions

Roy is a fiscal conservative who emphasizes limited government, national debt reduction, and border security. He has been a consistent critic of Democratic spending initiatives, voting against both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. A strong supporter of the Second Amendment, he opposes most forms of gun control. On social issues, he is anti-abortion, having supported the Life at Conception Act and celebrated the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Roy is a skeptic of foreign military intervention and has advocated for a more restrained foreign policy. He was critical of the FBI's investigation into Donald Trump and has supported investigations into the business dealings of Hunter Biden.

Electoral history

In the 2018 Republican primary for Texas's 21st congressional district, Roy defeated several opponents, including former Bexar County Commissioner Matt McCall, and advanced to a runoff election which he won. He then defeated Democratic nominee Joseph Kopser in the general election. Roy was reelected in 2020, defeating Democrat Wendy Davis, a former state senator. He won a third term in the 2022 election against Democrat Claudia Zapata. His district is considered solidly Republican, as analyzed by The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas Category:Texas Republicans Category:1972 births Category:Living people