Ron Reynolds (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Reynolds
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Reynolds in 2021
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| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 27th district |
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| Assumed office January 11, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Dora Olivo |
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| Born |
Ronald Eugene Reynolds
September 18, 1973 Jackson, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Missouri City, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Texas Southern University Texas Tech University School of Law |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Ronald Eugene Reynolds (born September 18, 1973) is an American lawyer and politician who is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing state District 27. He was first elected in 2010. Reynolds is the first African American elected as State Representative in Fort Bend County in Reconstruction. Currently, he is a Principal at Civitas Engineering and Group Vice President of Business Development.
Reynolds was also an attorney in private practice with the Brown, Brown & Reynolds law firm. Additionally, Reynolds has served as a Houston Associate Municipal Judge.
Education
Reynolds went to Texas Southern University and graduated in 1996. He then attended Texas Tech University School of Law, graduating in 1999. He is a recipient of three Honorary Doctorate’s, Doctor of Humanities from Trinity International University of Ambassadors, Doctor of Philosophy in Humanitarianism and a Doctorate of Divinity from Pendleton Chapel Seminary.
Political career
Reynolds first vied in the Democratic party primary elections for the representative of Richmond, Texas in 2008 against the incumbent, Dora Olivo. Reynolds garnered 14,634 votes (49.7%) to Olivo's 14,821 (50.3%). In 2010, he vied in the Democratic primaries again and unseated Olivo after polling 5,158 (57.6%) to 3,791 (42.4%). In the same year's general elections, he beat Derek Dean Grayson of the Libertarian Party. He was sworn in on 10 January 2011 as State Representative, House District 27.
In 2012, he ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primaries and won re-election with 69% of the votes in the general elections. Reynolds was elected for a third term during the 2014 general elections after polling 24,326 (67%) against David Wayne Hamilton's 11,990. During the Democratic primaries in 2018, he beat his opponent Wilvin Carter with 61.37%. He won the general elections unopposed as the republican party did not field a candidate.
During the 2020 primaries, general elections, he defeated Tom Virippan to win re-election. In 2021, he founded the Texas House Progressive Caucus and in 2022, he polled 70.3% of the votes to beat the Republican Party, Sohrab Gilani. Reynolds was elected Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus in August 2022.
Awards and honors
Reynolds has been awarded with EEOC Civil Rights All Star Award, American Red Cross Humanitarian Award, two-time recipient of the Houston Black Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award, recognition in Who’s Who in Black Houston, designation as Houston’s Top Lawyer by H Texas Magazine, receipt of the Missouri City Juneteenth Community Service Award, Houston’s Top 40 Leaders Under 40, and the DMARS Business Journal Top Lawyer & Public Servant Award. He was voted by his House colleagues as Freshman Legislator of the Year and Public Servant of the Year by the Houston Minority Contractors Association.
He has also received American Red Cross Humanitarian Award, YMCA Minority Achievers Award, NAACP Drum Major for Justice Award, MLK Drum Major For Justice Award, NAACP ALEX Award for Legal Excellence and Texas Association of African American Chamber of Commerce Legislator of the Year Award. He received Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award under both President Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Conviction
In November 2015, Reynolds was convicted on multiple misdemeanor counts under Texas' Barratry & Solicitation of Professional Employment statute. He was fined and sentenced to 365 days (a year) in county jail. On May 23, 2018, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused Reynold's appeal, meaning he will need to serve his year-long jail sentence. Since he was convicted of a misdemeanor, he continued to hold office during his jail sentence and was released in January 2019 after serving four months of a one year jail sentence.
