Jet Rodriguez

VP, Marketing

Pete Richardson is a host of exceptional ability. Studies show that a vast majority of guests attending events by Pete have been known to leave more elated than visitors to Santa's Workshop, The Lost of Continent of Atlantis, and the Fountain of Youth.

Jet Rodriguez

VP, Marketing

Jet Rodriguez

VP, Marketing

Jet Rodriguez

VP, Marketing

Jet Rodriguez

VP, Marketing

TUESDAY, JAN 17, FROM 8-9 A.M. CENTRAL

MEET FOUR NEW MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS HOUSE

Texas voters have chosen a slate of fresh faces to represent them in the Texas House in 2023. As the newest lawmakers learn to navigate the pressure cooker that is the Texas Legislature, they’re also hoping to make (and block) policy changes on behalf of their districts. How do they see their roles shaping up this session and what are their top priorities?

RSVPs Closed

Event Details

Join The Texas Tribune at 8 a.m. Central in Austin for a conversation with new members of the Texas Legislature, State Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock; state Rep. Maria Luisa “Lulu” Flores, D-Austin; state Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Plano; and state Rep. Ben Bumgarner, R-Flower Mound. The discussion will be moderated by Patrick Svitek, senior political reporter for The Texas Tribune.

Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. at the Tribune’s Studio 919, 919 Congress Ave., Sixth Floor, in Austin. The hourlong conversation will begin at 8 a.m. Parking will not be provided. Street and garage parking as well as ride-sharing are recommended.

This in-person event will be simultaneously live streamed for virtual attendees and will be available to watch on demand afterward at texastribune.org/events.

SPEAKER DETAILS

Carl tepper

State Representative, R-Lubbock

Tepper has been a commercial real estate developer for over 20 years. In 2012, he was elected to chair the Lubbock County Republican Party and later as president of the Texas Republican County Chairmen’s Association. He’s been actively involved in several presidential elections and was appointed as Texas statewide field director for the Trump-Pence 2016 presidential campaign.

MihAela Plesa

State representative, D-Plano

Plesa earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Texas and launched a career in public relations. She has worked with organizations like the Young National Organization of Women (Young NOW) and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law (NORML).

lulu flores

State representative, D-Austin

Flores served as president and CEO of the National Women’s Political Caucus, the longest-serving institution committed to increasing women’s participation throughout the political process. She was elected as a national delegate for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, has chaired the Austin Arts Commission and served as chief of staff to the first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas House.

Ben Bumgarner

State representative, R-Flower Mound

Bumgarner is a native of Flower Mound. He holds a Bachelor of arts degree from Austin College in Sherman. He has served on the Flower Mound Town Council, where he represented Place 3 and also served as mayor pro tem. Bumgarner is the co-owner of a local business.

Patrick Svitek

Senior Politics Reporter, The Texas Tribune

Svitek is the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune and has served as editor of The Blast, the Tribune's subscription-only daily newsletter for political insiders. Previously, he worked for the Houston Chronicle’s Austin bureau and interned at The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Huffington Post Politics and the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

SPEAKER DETAILS

César Blanco

STATE SENator

Blanco represents Senate District 29 in El Paso. Previously, he represented House District 76. In 2019, Blanco sat on the House Environmental Regulation Committee and the International Relations and Economic Development Committee.

Roland Gutierrez

STATE SENator

Gutierrez represents Senate District 19 in San Antonio. Previously, he represented House District 119. In 2019, Gutierrez sat on the House Energy Resources Committee and the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee.

drew springer

STATE SENator

Springer represents Senate District 30 in Wichita Falls. Previously, he represented House District 68. In 2019, Springer served as chair of the Agriculture and Livestock Committee and sat on the Local and Consent Calendars Committee and the State Affairs Committee.

MODERATED BY

ALEX SAMUELS

POLITICS REPORTER FOR THE TEXAS TRIBUNE

Samuels began as a politics reporter for the Tribune in 2019 after working as a community reporter for the organization. She first joined the Tribune as a newsletters fellow in 2016 and later worked as a reporting fellow during the 2018 Texas legislative session. Previously, Samuels worked as a collegiate and breaking news correspondent for USA Today College and as a reporter for the Daily Dot. Read More by Alex Samuels.

thank you to our sponsors

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questions about this event?

Email us at events@texastribune.org