Pete Flores was sworn in before a full houe at the Texas Senate today after the Republican won in the District 19 runoff to become the first Hispanic Republican ever to be elected to the State Senate, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"I'm not gong to let you down, not going to happen," Flores told a large crowd of friends, relatives, and classmates from Texas A&M.
Flores was a Game Warden Colonel for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He was elected in a runoff to succeed convicted felon Carlos Uresti in a district which hasn't elected a Republican since the days of Reconstruction.
"Pete, like all of us in Texas, all have the DNA of Bowie and Travis and Crockett," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, "There is no quit in this man."
Patrick said there are some days when 'the state of Texas changes,' and today is one of those days. He promised that Flores may be the first, but soon he will be far from the only Hispanic Republican in the Texas Senate.
In fact, Patrick delivered a gavel to Flores on his first day on the job, a first. Usually Senators get their first gavel following their first session in the Senate.