A Senator from Texas; born in Houston, Texas, on February 2, 1952; B.A., Trinity University 1973; J.D., St. Marys School of Law 1977; LLM, University of Virginia 1995; attorney; Bexar County district court judge 1984-1990; Texas supreme court 1990-1997; Texas state attorney general 1999-2002; elected as a Republican to the U.S. Senate in 2002; subsequently appointed to the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of William Philip Gramm, and took the oath of office on December 2, 2002; reelected in 2008 for the term ending January 3, 2015; Republican Conference vice-chair (2007-2009); chair, National Republican Senatorial Committee (2009-2012); Republican party whip (2013-).