| − | '''Peter Paul Flores''', known as '''Pete Flores''' (born January 30, 1960),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/peter-flores/pf73325293gw|title=Peter Flores|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=August 1, 2018}}</ref> is the newest member of the Texas State Senate. A [[Republican Party|Republican]] from Pleasanton in Atascosa County [[Texas]], Flores won a special election on September 18, 2018, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the scandal-plagued [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Carlos Uresti]] of [[San Antonio]]. | + | '''Peter Paul Flores''', known as '''Pete Flores''' (born January 30, 1960),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/peter-flores/pf73325293gw|title=Peter Flores|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=August 1, 2018}}</ref> is the newest member of the Texas State Senate. A [[Republican Party|Republican]] from Pleasanton in Atascosa County, [[Texas]], Flores won a special election on September 18, 2018, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the scandal-plagued [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Carlos Uresti]], a [[lawyer]] from [[San Antonio]]. Flores is the first Republican to hold this district since [[Reconstruction]] though the district has been re-configured numerous times in recent decades. |
| | On June 19, 2018, Uresti resigned from the Senate. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] called a special election for July 31 to fill the five months remaining in the term. Uresti had urged that the seat remain vacant pending a special election for November 6, the date of the national congressional elections when Democratic turnout was expected to be much higher than it would be for a special election..<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2018/06/20/gov-abbott-calls-for-july-election-to-fill-state.html|title=Gov. Abbott calls for July election to fill state senate seat|publisher=''San Antonio Business Journal''|author=Sergio Chapa|date=June 20, 2018|accessdate=June 21, 2018}}</ref> A week later, Uresti was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.<ref name=ksat>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksat.com/news/former-state-sen-uresti-to-be-sentenced-in-fraud-case-on-tuesday|title=Former State Sen. Carlos Uresti sentenced to 12 years in prison: Uresti found guilty of eleven felonies relating to fraud, money laundering|publisher=KSAT Television|author=Ben Spicer|date=June 26, 2018|accessdate=June 29, 2018}}</ref>U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled that Uresti could remain free on bond until the conclusion of a federal bribery charge in Reeves County. That trial is scheduled to begin on October 28, 2018. | | On June 19, 2018, Uresti resigned from the Senate. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] called a special election for July 31 to fill the five months remaining in the term. Uresti had urged that the seat remain vacant pending a special election for November 6, the date of the national congressional elections when Democratic turnout was expected to be much higher than it would be for a special election..<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2018/06/20/gov-abbott-calls-for-july-election-to-fill-state.html|title=Gov. Abbott calls for July election to fill state senate seat|publisher=''San Antonio Business Journal''|author=Sergio Chapa|date=June 20, 2018|accessdate=June 21, 2018}}</ref> A week later, Uresti was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.<ref name=ksat>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksat.com/news/former-state-sen-uresti-to-be-sentenced-in-fraud-case-on-tuesday|title=Former State Sen. Carlos Uresti sentenced to 12 years in prison: Uresti found guilty of eleven felonies relating to fraud, money laundering|publisher=KSAT Television|author=Ben Spicer|date=June 26, 2018|accessdate=June 29, 2018}}</ref>U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled that Uresti could remain free on bond until the conclusion of a federal bribery charge in Reeves County. That trial is scheduled to begin on October 28, 2018. |