Changes

|term_start=2009​

|term_start=2009​

|term_end=January 13, 2015 ​

|term_end=January 13, 2015 ​

|preceded=George E. "Buddy" West ​

|preceded=[[George E. "Buddy" West]] ​

|succeeded=Brooks Landgraf  ​

|succeeded=Brooks Landgraf  ​

|office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas<br> 161st Judicial District Court ​

|office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas<br> 161st Judicial District Court ​

==Legislative service==

==Legislative service==

One of three candidates who challenged the ailing incumbent George E. "Buddy" West (1936-2008) of Odessa in the 2008 Republican [[primary]], Lewis led the field with 5,273 votes (44 percent) to West's 4,602 (38.4) percent.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 4, 2008.</ref> In the lower-turnout runoff election, Lewis prevailed by a large margin, 5,181 (76 percent) to West's 1,637 (24 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 8, 2008.</ref>  

One of three candidates who challenged the ailing incumbent [[George E. "Buddy" West]] of Odessa in the 2008 Republican [[primary]], Lewis led the field with 5,273 votes (44 percent) to West's 4,602 (38.4) percent.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 4, 2008.</ref> In the lower-turnout runoff election, Lewis prevailed by a large margin, 5,181 (76 percent) to West's 1,637 (24 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 8, 2008.</ref>  

Lewis was supported by then [[Speaker]] [[Tom Craddick]] of nearby [[Midland]], who at the time was at odds with West, his Republican colleague for the past fifteen years. Four anti-Craddick Republican legislators came to Odessa to campaign in the runoff for West.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasweekly.com/node/2758|title=Very Busy Signals|publisher=''Texas Weekly''|accessdate=July 13, 2010; material no longer on-line}}</ref><ref>"About 200 attend state funeral of Rep. Buddy West," ''Houston Chronicle,'' June 28, 2008.</ref> West died some two months after the runoff election. In 2009, as Lewis succeeded West, Craddick himself was deposed as Speaker by [[Moderate Republican]] [[Joe Straus]] of [[San Antonio]].<ref>Lisa Sandberg, "The Most Popular Guy at the Capitol," ''San Antonio Magazine,'' June 2009, p. 54.</ref> For a time, Lewis and Craddick remain neighboring House colleagues for Districts 81 and 82, respectively; neither had an opponent in the 2010 or 2012 general elections.

Lewis was supported by then [[Speaker]] [[Tom Craddick]] of nearby [[Midland]], who at the time was at odds with West, his Republican colleague for the past fifteen years. Four anti-Craddick Republican legislators came to Odessa to campaign in the runoff for West.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasweekly.com/node/2758|title=Very Busy Signals|publisher=''Texas Weekly''|accessdate=July 13, 2010; material no longer on-line}}</ref><ref>"About 200 attend state funeral of Rep. Buddy West," ''Houston Chronicle,'' June 28, 2008.</ref> West died some two months after the runoff election. In 2009, as Lewis succeeded West, Craddick himself was deposed as Speaker by [[Moderate Republican]] [[Joe Straus]] of [[San Antonio]].<ref>Lisa Sandberg, "The Most Popular Guy at the Capitol," ''San Antonio Magazine,'' June 2009, p. 54.</ref> For a time, Lewis and Craddick remain neighboring House colleagues for Districts 81 and 82, respectively; neither had an opponent in the 2010 or 2012 general elections.