Changes

==Election history==

==Election history==

In 2000, Republican State Representative Todd Staples, now the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, was elected to the District 3 seat in the Texas State Senate. As a [[Democrat]], Hopson was elected in 2000 to succeed Staples. Nine years later on November 6, 2009, Hopson switched to GOP affiliation. He then secured his sixth term and his first as a Republican in 2010. His defection in 2009 made him the 77th Republican representative, then a majority by two seats. In January 2011, Hopson became one of 101 members of the GOP delegation, as the party gained a two-thirds majority in the 2010 general election.<ref>[http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=183&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=~first=~gender=~last=HOpson~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee Chuck Hopson at the Legislative Reference Library of Texas] lrl.state.tx.us, retrieved September 25, 2011.</ref>

In 2000, Republican State Representative Todd Staples, later the Texas Agriculture Commissioner (a position he has since vacated), was elected to the District 3 seat in the Texas State Senate. As a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Hopson was elected in 2000 to succeed Staples. Nine years later on November 6, 2009, Hopson switched to GOP affiliation. He then secured his sixth term and his first as a Republican in 2010. His defection in 2009 made him the 77th Republican representative, then a majority by two seats. In January 2011, Hopson became one of 101 members of the GOP delegation, as the party gained a two-thirds majority in the 2010 general election.<ref>[http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=183&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=~first=~gender=~last=HOpson~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee Chuck Hopson at the Legislative Reference Library of Texas] lrl.state.tx.us, retrieved September 25, 2011.</ref> Though the Republicans gained the numerical majority, the House was led by Speaker [[Joe Straus]], a [[Moderate Republican]] who was a youthful chauffeur of the late U.S. Senator [[John Tower]]. Straus depends on the House Democrats to join a group of moderate Republicans to keep him in the speakership. Straus has since repeatedly blocked conservative measures from coming out of committees to the House floor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://crtxnews.com/joe-let-peoples-representatives-vote-sb-6/?newsletter_uid=2687&newsletter_date=03%2F13%2F17|title=Joe, Let the Peoples' Representatives Vote on SB 6|publisher=Conservative Republicans of Texas News|author=Jared Woodfill|date=March 9, 2017|accessdate=March 14, 2017}}</ref>

   

   

In explaining his party switch, Hopson said that his East Texas district does not share the philosophy of U.S. President [[Barack H. Obama]]. The lawmaker said, "I believe in democracy and respect its process." Texas State Democratic Chairman Boyd Ritchie, an attorney from Young County, replied to Hopson: "It takes strength and integrity to stand against the special interest. And while some members have that strength, others like Chuck Hopson, apparently do not." [[Joe Straus]] of San Antonio, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, described Hopson as an "outstanding public servant who fights hard for his East Texas constituents."<ref>[http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/democrat-chuck-hopson-joins-go.html Democrat Chuck Hopson joins GOP] Gromer Jeffers, Jr., Dallas ''Morning News'', November 6, 2009, dallasnews.com, retrieved September 30, 2011</ref>

In explaining his party switch, Hopson said that his East Texas district does not share the philosophy of U.S. President [[Barack H. Obama]]. The lawmaker said, "I believe in democracy and respect its process." Texas State Democratic Chairman Boyd Ritchie, an attorney from Young County, replied to Hopson: "It takes strength and integrity to stand against the special interest. And while some members have that strength, others like Chuck Hopson, apparently do not." [[Joe Straus]] of San Antonio, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, described Hopson as an "outstanding public servant who fights hard for his East Texas constituents."<ref>[http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/democrat-chuck-hopson-joins-go.html Democrat Chuck Hopson joins GOP] Gromer Jeffers, Jr., Dallas ''Morning News'', November 6, 2009, dallasnews.com, retrieved September 30, 2011</ref>