Joe Moody (politician)
Joe Moody | |
|---|---|
| Speaker pro tempore of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office February 13, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Charlie Geren |
| In office January 8, 2019 – July 15, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Dennis Bonnen |
| Succeeded by | Charlie Geren |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 78th district | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Dee Margo |
| In office January 13, 2009 – January 11, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Pat Haggerty |
| Succeeded by | Dee Margo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Edward Moody January 9, 1981 El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Adrianne Moody |
| Education | New Mexico State University (BA) Texas Tech University (JD) |
Joseph Edward Moody (born January 9, 1981) is a lawyer from El Paso, Texas, who serves as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Texas House of Representatives.[1] He represented District 78 since 2008 with the exception of the 82nd Texas Legislature where he was defeated by Dee Margo in the 2010 general election. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Early life and education
[edit]Moody was raised in El Paso, Texas and attended Cathedral High School. His father, William Moody, served as a state district judge, and his mother, Magdalena Morales-Moody, was a school teacher. He attended New Mexico State University where he studied government and history. He went on to graduate from Texas Tech University School of Law.[2][3]
Career
[edit]After graduating from law school in 2006, Moody helped his father Bill Moody campaign for the Supreme Court of Texas. He was an assistant district attorney in El Paso County when he ran against Louis Irwin in the Democratic primary leading up to the 2008 Texas House of Representatives election.[2] After winning the primary, he faced Republican Dee Margo in the general elections.[4]
Moody defeated Margo in the 2008 general election, winning by 3,200 votes.[5] Both ran against each other again in the 2010 Texas House of Representatives election where Margo won.[6] They faced each other a third time during the 2012 Texas House of Representatives election where Moody won.[7]
Moody won his fifth nonconsecutive term in the House in the general election held on November 6, 2018. With 31,361 votes (65.2 percent) and buoyed by the U.S. Senate candidacy of Beto O'Rourke, also an El Paso native, Moody beat Republican candidate Jeffrey Lane who finished with 16,741 votes (34.8 percent).[8]
Moody served as Speaker Pro Tempore in the 86th and 87th Legislatures, but was removed from the position by Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on July 15, 2021, after Moody and other Democrats broke quorum by leaving the state on July 12, 2021 in protest of Republican sponsored voting legislation.[9][10] He was reappointed to the role in the 89th Legislature by Speaker Dustin Burrows.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Burrows, Dustin. [Charlie Geren Standing Committee Appointments by Committee], Texas House of Representatives, February 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Grissom, Brandi (February 11, 2008). "Pair of Demos vie for chance to take back District 78". El Paso Times. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "Rep. Moody Joe; biography". House.Texas.gov. Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Muench, Joe (March 16, 2008). "All quiet on the Margo-Moody front". El Paso Times. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Aguilar, Julian (October 3, 2012). "It's Moody vs. Margo, Part Three, in El Paso's HD-78". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Torres, Zahira (November 7, 2012). "Democrat Joe Moody edges Republican Dee Margo for District 78 House seat". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ McNamara, Jonathan (November 6, 2012). "Election Night Recap". Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- ^ Barragán, James. El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position in Texas House after leaving state with Democrats, Texas Tribune, July 15, 2021.
- ^ Garrett, Robert T. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan strips absent Democratic ally of chamber's No. 2 post, Dallas Morning News, July 15, 2021.
- ^ Barragan, James (February 13, 2025). "Texas House committee assignments extend power of experienced GOP leaders". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
External links
[edit]Statewide political officials of Texas | ||
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