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|spouse=Karen M. Backor McLaughlin (married 1991)}}

|spouse=Karen M. Backor McLaughlin (married 1991)}}

'''Donald E. McLaughlin, Jr.''', known as '''Don McLaughlin, Jr.''' (born September 20, 1961),<ref>Donald E. McLaughlin, Jr. (born 1962) - Uvalde County, Texas (ancientfaces.com), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> has been since 2014 the [[mayor]] of Uvalde in his native [[Texas]]. He rocketed to national attention on May 24, 2022, when a mad gunman killed nineteen pupils and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a small city some fifty miles from the [[Rio Grande]] border and ninety miles west of [[San Antonio]]. More than a year after the shooting, Mayor McLaughlin has called for the resignation of District Attorney Christina Mitchell for allegedly stonewalling details of the crime.

'''Donald E. McLaughlin, Jr.''', known as '''Don McLaughlin, Jr.''' (born September 20, 1961),<ref>Donald E. McLaughlin, Jr. (born 1962) - Uvalde County, Texas (ancienTetfaces.com), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> is the incoming District 80 [[Republican Party|Republican]] member of the Texas House of Representatives. He won three-to-two to succeed the retiring [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Representative Tracy O. King. Since 2014, he was the [[mayor]] of Uvalde in his native Texas.

 

He rocketed to national attention on May 24, 2022, when a mad gunman killed nineteen pupils and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a small city some fifty miles from the [[Rio Grande]] border and ninety miles west of [[San Antonio]]. More than a year after the shooting, Mayor McLaughlin called for the resignation of District Attorney Christina Mitchell for allegedly stonewalling details of the crime.

During a news conference, McLaughlin lashed out at former [[U.S. Representative]] [[Beto O'Rourke]]  of [[El Paso]], who interrupted [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] and Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]]. McLaughlin called the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] O'Rourke, who is challenging Abbott in the November 8 general election, "a sick son-of-bitch" for storming the news conference in a failed attempt to focus on O'Rourke's political fortunes. Abbott and Patrick focused on the staggering grief in the closely-knit Uvalde community.<ref>Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin Biography, Wiki, Age, Career, Education, Birthplace (mymorningtea.in), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref>

During a news conference, McLaughlin lashed out at former [[U.S. Representative]] [[Beto O'Rourke]]  of [[El Paso]], who interrupted [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] and Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]]. McLaughlin called the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] O'Rourke, who is challenging Abbott in the November 8 general election, "a sick son-of-bitch" for storming the news conference in a failed attempt to focus on O'Rourke's political fortunes. Abbott and Patrick focused on the staggering grief in the closely-knit Uvalde community.<ref>Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin Biography, Wiki, Age, Career, Education, Birthplace (mymorningtea.in), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref>

McLaughlin is a [[conservative]] [[Republican Party|Republican]], but all Texas mayors run on a nonpartisan ballot. In his capacity as mayor, McLaughlin has been outspoken in opposition to the unchecked border policies of [[U.S. President]] [[Joe Biden]]. He has also quarreled with the "Big Three" of the Texas Republican leadership, Governor Abbott and [[U.S. Senator]]s [[John Cornyn]] and [[Ted Cruz]], all of whom he contends have not returned his phone calls. McLaughlin called Abbott "a fraud" over lingering border issues which cause chaos and violence in Uvalde. In the Republican [[primary]] on March 1, 2022, McLaughlin endorsed conservative former state Representative [[Don Huffines]] of [[Dallas]].<ref>South Texas Mayor Endorses Huffines for Governor, Says Border Crisis ‘Far Worse Than Many People Realize’ | The Texan, accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> Huffines, however, finished a weak third in the election which Abbott fully dominated.

McLaughlin is a [[conservative]] Republican, but all Texas mayors run on a nonpartisan ballot. In his capacity as mayor, McLaughlin has been outspoken in opposition to the unchecked border policies of [[U.S. President]] [[Joe Biden]]. He has also quarreled with the "Big Three" of the Texas Republican leadership, Governor Abbott and [[U.S. Senator]]s [[John Cornyn]] and [[Ted Cruz]], all of whom he contends have not returned his phone calls. McLaughlin called Abbott "a fraud" over lingering border issues which caused chaos and violence in Uvalde. In the Republican [[primary]] on March 1, 2022, McLaughlin endorsed conservative former state Representative [[Don Huffines]] of [[Dallas]].<ref>South Texas Mayor Endorses Huffines for Governor, Says Border Crisis ‘Far Worse Than Many People Realize’ | The Texan, accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> Huffines, however, finished a weak third in the election which Abbott fully dominated.

He was elected mayor in 2014 to succeed the one-term [[J. Allen Carnes]], who instead ran unsuccessfully for Texas agriculture commissioner against [[Sid Miller]] in the Republican primary that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.etypeservices.com/Uvalde1/Magazine53419/Publication/Magazine53419.pdf |publisher=''Uvalde Leader-News'' | date=May 15, 2014 |title=McLaughlin is new mayor}}</ref>​ McLaughlin won second and third terms in 2016 and 2018. He was then elected to the first four-year term as mayor.<ref>Who is Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin? (statesman.com), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> Most Texas mayors serve two-year terms.

He was elected mayor to succeed the one-term [[J. Allen Carnes]], who instead ran unsuccessfully for Texas agriculture commissioner against [[Sid Miller]] in the Republican primary that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.etypeservices.com/Uvalde1/Magazine53419/Publication/Magazine53419.pdf |publisher=''Uvalde Leader-News'' | date=May 15, 2014 |title=McLaughlin is new mayor}}</ref>​ McLaughlin won second and third terms in 2016 and 2018. He was then elected to the first four-year term as mayor.<ref>Who is Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin? (statesman.com), accessed May 26, 2022.</ref> Most Texas mayors serve two-year terms.

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Mayors]]

[[Category:Mayors]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]