# Gary Gates

Gary Gates is a Republican member of the Texas House for district 28.

- Party: Republican
- Seat: Texas House, district 28
- Serving since: 2020-01-11
- Current term: TX 2025–26 session
- Open States ID: ocd-person/5ff88048-ebd8-4ac3-af9c-d02e1305ef37

Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/5ff88048-ebd8-4ac3-af9c-d02e1305ef37 (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set].

## Headline

Gates reported $403.7K in the 2026 cycle, in the top 5% of State House Republicans (median $33.7K).

## What Gates says (TX 2025–26 session)

52 classified statements: 52 posts on X. Each rate is the share of statements with the label, against the State House Republicans average; rank 1 is the highest rate.

| Label | Gates | State House Republicans average | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal attacks | 0.0% | 2.9% | 642 of 791 |
| Policy criticism | 1.9% | 9.3% | 597 of 791 |
| Policy discussion | 19.2% | 31.9% | 578 of 791 |
| Bipartisanship | 0.0% | 1.8% | 677 of 791 |
| Credit claiming | 21.1% | 12.7% | 159 of 791 |
| Extreme labels | 0.0% | 1.4% | 618 of 791 |

Most discussed policy areas: Housing and Community Development 50% (State House Republicans 3.4%); Crime and Law Enforcement 10% (State House Republicans 11%); Economics and Public Finance 10% (State House Republicans 12%); Government Operations and Politics 10% (State House Republicans 18%); Immigration 10% (State House Republicans 4.7%).

## Ideology (CSIP)

CSIP score +0.44 (standard error 0.02), from 145 donors and 588 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 65% of State House Republicans score lower.

## Votes (TX 2025–26 session)

3,700 roll calls. Attendance 95.9% (Texas House 93.1%). Party unity 73% (85%). 294 votes against the party majority.

Key votes:

- 2025-09-03 · voted nay · passage · HB 1 Relating to youth camp emergency plans and preparedness; authorizing penalties. · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB1/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · passage · SB 1 Relating to campground and youth camp safety. · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/SB1/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · passage · HB 8 Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB8/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · adopt the conference committee report on SB 5. · SB 5 Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and preparedness and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/SB5/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · passage · HB 8 Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB8/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · concur in the senate amendments to HB 20. · HB 20 Relating to measures to prevent and reduce fraudulent charitable solicitations and theft during declared disasters, including establishing a designation… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB20/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · passage · SB 1 Relating to campground and youth camp safety. · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/SB1/
- 2025-09-03 · voted yea · concur in the senate amendments to HB 1. · HB 1 Relating to youth camp emergency plans and preparedness; authorizing penalties. · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB1/
- 2025-09-02 · voted yea · passage · SB 54 Relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/SB54/
- 2025-09-02 · voted yea · passage · HB 18 Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of certain political expenditures by a member of the legislature… · pass · https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB18/

## Legislation (TX 2025–26 session)

Sponsored 42 bills: 39 reached committee, 21 passed one chamber, 10 passed both, 10 became law. Cosponsored 96. 50.0% of sponsored bills got out of committee (Texas House 48.5%; rank 66 of 145).

Recent sponsored bills:

- HB 296: Relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's registration… (introduced, 2025-08-25) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB296/
- HB 236: Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for certain victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution. (in committee, 2025-08-20) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB236/
- HB 95: Relating to establishing minimum credentialing qualifications for Emergency Management Coordinators appointed by Emergency Management Directors. (in committee, 2025-08-18) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HB95/
- HJR 10: Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the determination of a quorum of the senate or house of representatives. (in committee, 2025-08-26) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/892/HJR10/
- HB 207: Relating to third-party review of development documents and inspection of improvements required to be approved by a political subdivision. (introduced, 2025-07-25) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/891/HB207/
- HB 189: Relating to municipal and county permitting requirements to conduct certain repairs on residential buildings. (introduced, 2025-07-23) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/891/HB189/
- HB 5662: Relating to the powers, duties, and authority to issue bonds of the Fort Bend County Water Control and Improvement District No. 12 related to roads. (became law, 2025-06-20) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/89R/HB5662/
- HB 5661: Relating to the creation of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 286; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue… (became law, 2025-06-20) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/89R/HB5661/
- HB 5655: Relating to the creation of the Fort Bend County Water Control and Improvement District No. 13; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing… (became law, 2025-06-20) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/89R/HB5655/
- HB 5648: Relating to the creation of the Fort Bend County Water Control and Improvement District No. 13; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing… (became law, 2025-04-07) https://openstates.org/tx/bills/89R/HB5648/

## Campaign money (2026 cycle)

Itemized receipts $403.7K (State House Republicans median $33.7K). 100% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors.

## Recent statements

Newest first. Posts on X are listed by date and link only.

- 2026-08-30 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2094117815628276206
- 2026-08-21 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2090831582747607086
- 2026-05-16 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2055727059050053733
- 2026-05-05 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2051670869932466302
- 2026-03-23 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion, credit claiming · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2036086768588460391
- 2026-03-10 · Post on X · labels: credit claiming · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2031160293473091654
- 2026-03-02 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2028523522201403859
- 2026-02-16 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2023363631526580521
- 2026-01-01 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2006561999656988856
- 2025-12-30 · Post on X · https://x.com/gatesfortexas/status/2006056450607702227

## Links

- Official site: https://www.house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=28
- Campaign site: https://www.gatesfortexas.com
- X: https://x.com/gatesfortexas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gatesfortexas

Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/5ff88048-ebd8-4ac3-af9c-d02e1305ef37