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'''Douglas Bryan Hughes''', known as '''Bryan Hughes''' (born July 21, 1969),<ref>"Representative Bryan Hughes". votesmart.org. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=50173. Retrieved September 26, 2011.</ref> is an attorney in Mineola, [[Texas]], who has been since 2003 a [[Republican Party|Republican]] member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 5, which includes Camp, Harrison, Upshur, and Wood counties in the northeastern section of his state.<ref>"Bryan Hughes". lrl.state.tx.us. http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5544&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=Bryan~gender=~last=Hughes~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref><ref name=house>"Rep. Hughes, Bryan". house.state.tx.us. http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=5 Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref> He is among the strongest [[conservative]]s in the Texas legislature.

'''Douglas Bryan Hughes''', known as '''Bryan Hughes''' (born July 21, 1969),<ref>"Representative Bryan Hughes". votesmart.org. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=50173. Retrieved September 26, 2011.</ref> is an attorney in Mineola, [[Texas]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] member of the [[Texas State Senate. From 2003 to 2017, he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 5, which includes Camp, Harrison, Upshur, and Wood counties in the northeastern section of his state.<ref>"Bryan Hughes". lrl.state.tx.us. http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5544&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=Bryan~gender=~last=Hughes~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref><ref name=house>"Rep. Hughes, Bryan". house.state.tx.us. http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=5 Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref> He is among the strongest [[conservative]]s in the Texas legislature. Hughes did not seek reelection to the House in 2016 and instead moved up to the Senate.

On March 19, 2011, Hughes dedicated the Mineola Nature Preserve, a conservation project which began in 2002, the year he was first elected to the state House. The preserve includes nearly three thousand acres along the Sabine River, which are inhabited by almost two hundred animal species; the preserve also includes trails for visitors, an area of wetland, and locations for birdwatchers. The two-acre Pullen Pond is funded by Ozarka Brand Spring Water.<ref>"State Representative Bryan Hughes to Dedicate Mineola Nature Preserve Project on Saturday, March 19, 2011". libertylinked.com. http://libertylinked.com/posts/6921/state-representative-bryan/View.aspx. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref>

On March 19, 2011, Hughes dedicated the Mineola Nature Preserve, a conservation project which began in 2002, the year he was first elected to the state House. The preserve includes nearly three thousand acres along the Sabine River, which are inhabited by almost two hundred animal species; the preserve also includes trails for visitors, an area of wetland, and locations for birdwatchers. The two-acre Pullen Pond is funded by Ozarka Brand Spring Water.<ref>"State Representative Bryan Hughes to Dedicate Mineola Nature Preserve Project on Saturday, March 19, 2011". libertylinked.com. http://libertylinked.com/posts/6921/state-representative-bryan/View.aspx. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref>

On September 13, 2011, Hughes called upon Texas Attorney General [[Greg Abbott]] to investigate a new air pollution rule of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Abbott indicated that he is already checking into the issue raised by Hughes. According to Hughes, the rule if implemented had the potential of producing blackouts, increasing costs to consumers, and creating job losses.<ref name=epa>"Representative Bryan Hughes Decries EPA Attack on Texas Jobs". new.bryanhughes.com. http://new.bryanhughes.com/2011/09/representative-bryan-hughes-decries-epa-attack-on-texas-jobs/. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref> Hughes added that the directive would cause the Luminant utility company to shut down operations in his own district as well as across the state. Hughes continued, "I don't know what's going on in Washington, but here in the real world, money is tight, and families are struggling. ... As if the job losses weren’t enough, these new rules will also raise electric rates – in the middle of a recession."<ref name=epa/>

On September 13, 2011, Hughes called upon Texas Attorney General [[Greg Abbott]], later the governor, to investigate a new air pollution rule of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Abbott indicated that he is already checking into the issue raised by Hughes. According to Hughes, the rule if implemented had the potential of producing blackouts, increasing costs to consumers, and creating job losses.<ref name=epa>"Representative Bryan Hughes Decries EPA Attack on Texas Jobs". new.bryanhughes.com. http://new.bryanhughes.com/2011/09/representative-bryan-hughes-decries-epa-attack-on-texas-jobs/. Retrieved September 26, 2011</ref> Hughes added that the directive would cause the Luminant utility company to shut down operations in his own district as well as across the state. Hughes continued, "I don't know what's going on in Washington, but here in the real world, money is tight, and families are struggling. ... As if the job losses weren’t enough, these new rules will also raise electric rates – in the middle of a recession."<ref name=epa/>

Chuck Hopson identified the informant as District 62 Representative [[Larry Phillips]], an attorney from Sherman in north Texas and a member of the Ethics Committee. Phillips removed himself as a committee member for the hearing and denied Hughes's accusation. The phone conservation between the two lawmakers was not recorded. The committee did not reach a judgment because of the lack of corroborating witnesses.<ref>"Texas House committee won't act on Rep. Phillips' alleged threats, November 23, 2010". KXII-TV.com. http://www.kxii.com/news/headlines/Texas_House_committee_wont_act_on_Rep_Phillips_alleged_threats__110251099.html. Retrieved September 27, 2011</ref><ref>"Patrick Brendel, "Texas House Ethics Panel Takes No Action on Alleged Redistricting Threats by Vice-Chair Phillips," November 23, 2010". americanindependent.com. http://www.americanindependent.com/158065/texas-house-ethics-panel-takes-no-action-on-alleged-redistricting-threats-by-vice-chair-phillips. Retrieved September 28, 2011</ref>

Chuck Hopson identified the informant as District 62 Representative [[Larry Phillips]], an attorney from Sherman in north Texas and a member of the Ethics Committee. Phillips removed himself as a committee member for the hearing and denied Hughes's accusation. The phone conservation between the two lawmakers was not recorded. The committee did not reach a judgment because of the lack of corroborating witnesses.<ref>"Texas House committee won't act on Rep. Phillips' alleged threats, November 23, 2010". KXII-TV.com. http://www.kxii.com/news/headlines/Texas_House_committee_wont_act_on_Rep_Phillips_alleged_threats__110251099.html. Retrieved September 27, 2011</ref><ref>"Patrick Brendel, "Texas House Ethics Panel Takes No Action on Alleged Redistricting Threats by Vice-Chair Phillips," November 23, 2010". americanindependent.com. http://www.americanindependent.com/158065/texas-house-ethics-panel-takes-no-action-on-alleged-redistricting-threats-by-vice-chair-phillips. Retrieved September 28, 2011</ref>

In 2012, Hughes was easily renominated in the Republican primary held on May 29. He spent some six months seeking support from colleagues to challenge Speaker Straus in January 2013. However, Hughes withdrew from the race for Speaker in December and instead threw his backing to another conservative lawmaker seeking to oust Straus, [[David Simpson]] of Longview.

In 2012, Hughes was easily renominated in the Republican primary held on May 29. He spent some six months seeking support from colleagues to challenge Speaker Straus in January 2013. However, Hughes withdrew from the race for Speaker in December and instead threw his backing to another conservative lawmaker seeking to oust Straus, [[David Simpson]] of Longview.David

 

To win the state Senate head which he has held since January 2017, Hughes defeated another state representative, David Simpson of Longview, in the 2016 Republican primary election.