Gary Gates

Gary Wilton Gates, Jr. is a Texas businessman and a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for House District 28, which is located in Fort Bend County, which is in the southwest Houston metro area.

On January 28, 2020, Gates won the special runoff election for Texas House District 28. He defeated the Democrat, an educator, Elizabeth A. "Eliz" Markowitz of Katy, Texas, by 58% of the vote to 42%, a 16-point win that has been characterized as an "easy win".Saying the district was a bellwether, Democratic Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren endorsed Markowitz; and Mike Bloomberg and Julian Castro endorsed Markowitz and block walked for her, attempting to flip the district and defeat Gates. Former U.S. Senate nominee and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke knocked on doors and rallied canvassers.The race was Gates' seventh run for political office.

After the election, the Republicans criticized the Democrats as overplaying their hand in the Gates special election; while the Democrats pointed to unique aspects of the campaign, specifically Gates' ability to self-fund his campaign. Gates spent about $1.8 million of his own money on the campaign.Markowitz was given political donations from Forward Majority for $420,000, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee for $170,000, and State Representative Celia Israel's Texas House Democrat Campaign Committeeof $120,000.

Turnout for the special runoff election was very high and possibly historic since there were over 30,000 voters, a 20 percent turnout which is the highest in Texas since at least 1992.Gates defeated a Republican opponent, small business owner Michelle D. "Schell" Hammel of Katy, in the March 3, 2020 primary, receiving 95% of the vote. Gates will face Markowitz again in November 2020 in the general election.

Gates lives in Richmond, Texas, a suburb of Houston, with his wife, Melissa, and his 13 children, of whom 11 are adopted.