Roland Gutierrez (politician)

Roland Gutierrez (born September 1, 1970) is an American attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Gutierrez has served as a member of the Texas Senate since 2021, representing District 19. He formerly served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 2008 to 2021. On July 10, 2023, Gutierrez announced his candidacy in the 2024 United States Senate election in Texas, in which he finished second in the Democratic primary.

Gutierrez is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he received a B.A. in Political Science, and St. Mary's University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree, also in San Antonio.

Gutierrez was first elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2005. During his time on the city council, he worked to create safer communities through after-school programs, public libraries, and sidewalks. He was then elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2008. While serving in the House, Gutierrez chaired the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs on appointment from Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, also of San Antonio.

In 2020, Gutierrez ran to represent District 19 Texas Senate against incumbent Republican Pete Flores. On November 3, 2020, Gutierrez defeated Flores, winning with 50% of the vote to 47% for Flores. Gutierrez won re-election in 2022.

As part of the Texas Senate, Gutierrez serves on the Local Government, Veteran Affairs, and the Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs committees.

Gutierrez, whose district encompasses Uvalde, Texas, introduced four gun safety bills following the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. In 2023, some news outlets reported that Gutierrez was likely to run for the U.S. Senate in the 2024 election against incumbent Ted Cruz, and officially announced his intent to do so on July 10, 2023. Ultimately, however, he was passed over for the nomination in favor of Colin Allred, who then lost against Cruz.

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