Pete Sessions

Pete Sessions. William Pete Sessions is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 17th congressional district since 2021, a seat he previously held from 1997 to 2019 representing the 32nd district. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Chairman of the influential House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019. Sessions is known as a staunch conservative and a skilled political strategist within the House Republican Conference.

Early life and education

Born in Waco, Texas, he is the son of former FBI agent and Director of Central Intelligence William S. Sessions. He attended Waco High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. Following his graduation, Sessions served as an ensign in the United States Navy from 1978 to 1983. Before entering politics, he built a career in telecommunications, working for Southwestern Bell, which later became part of AT&T.

Political career

Sessions first won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1996, defeating Democratic incumbent John Bryant in the 32nd district encompassing parts of Dallas County. He quickly rose in the House Republican Conference, serving as Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) from 2009 to 2013, where he helped the party regain its majority in the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections. His most powerful role was as Chairman of the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019 under Speaker John Boehner and later Speaker Paul Ryan, controlling the flow of legislation to the House floor. After losing his Dallas-based seat to Democrat Colin Allred in the 2018 election, he successfully ran in 2020 for the open 17th district, based in Waco and College Station.

Political positions

A consistent conservative, Sessions has a lifetime rating of over 90% from the American Conservative Union. He is a strong opponent of abortion rights and received an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony List. On fiscal matters, he supports balanced budget amendments and was a signatory to the Taxpayer Protection Pledge advocated by Americans for Tax Reform. He has been a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act and supported its repeal. Sessions has also taken a hardline stance on immigration, supporting enhanced border security and the construction of a border wall along the Mexico–United States border. He voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election in both Arizona and Pennsylvania.

Electoral history

His first successful campaign was in 1996 for the 32nd district. He was re-elected consistently until 2018, when he was defeated by Democrat Colin Allred in a district that had been trending Democratic during the 2018 midterms. In 2020, he sought a return to Congress in the open 17th district, winning a crowded Republican primary against opponents including former Texas State Senator Troy Fraser and then defeating Democratic nominee Rick Kennedy in the general election. He was re-elected in 2022 against Democrat Mary Jo Woods.

Personal life

Sessions has been married twice; he and his first wife, Carla Sessions, divorced after having two children. In 2019, he married Karen Diebel, a former vice mayor of Winter Park, Florida. His father, William S. Sessions, served as a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and as the Director of the FBI under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. In 2020, Sessions was diagnosed with tonsil cancer; he underwent successful treatment and has since been declared cancer-free. Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas Category:1955 births Category:Living people