Tom Craddick
| Thomas Russell "Tom" Craddick, Sr. | |
 | |
Texas State Representative
for District 82 (Midland County) | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 12, 1993 | |
Texas State Representative
for District 76 (Midland County) | |
| In office January 11, 1983 – January 12, 1993 | |
Texas State Representative
for District 68 (Midland County) | |
| In office January 9, 1973 – January 11, 1983 | |
Texas State Representative
for District 70 (Midland County) | |
| In office January 14, 1969 – January 9, 1973 | |
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
| |
| In office January 14, 2003 – January 13, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | James "Pete" Laney |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Joe Straus |
| Born | September 19, 1943 Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Nadine Nayfa Craddick |
| Children | Thomas R. Craddick, Jr. |
| Residence | Midland, Texas |
| Alma mater | Texas Tech University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Thomas Russell Craddick, Sr., known as Tom Craddick (born September 19, 1943), has represented Midland County in the Texas House of Representatives since 1969, but his district has had four different numerations during that time; in order, 70, 68, 76, and since 1993, District 82. Craddick is the senior Republican member of the chamber and from 2003 to 2009 was the first member of his party in more than a century to be elected by colleagues as Speaker.
A native of Beloit, Wisconsin, and an Eagle Scout, Craddick graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He was initially elected at the age of twenty-five to the state House on November 5, 1968, when Richard M. Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace for the presidency. He succeeded fellow Republican state Representative Frank Kell Cahoon of Midland, who stepped down after two terms.
Considered a conservative, Craddick lost the Speaker's gavel in 2009 to Joe Straus of San Antonio, who governs still through a coalition of about two dozen Moderate Republicans, some of whom are estranged from the conservative faction in the party, and all of the chamber's Democrats. After being deposed as Speaker, Craddick did not retire as many similarly situated often do, but he has since won four more House elections to represent his adopted Midland County.
On November 6, 2012, when Craddick won his 23rd term in the Texas House, his daughter, Christi Craddick, easily was elected as a Republican to the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates not railroads but petroleum and natural gas.
