Ron Reynolds
Reynolds in 2021
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 27th district
Assumed office
January 11, 2011
Preceded byDora Olivo
Personal details
Born
Ronald Eugene Reynolds

(1973-09-18) September 18, 1973[1]
Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children3[2]
Residence(s)Missouri City, Texas, U.S.
Alma materTexas Southern University
Texas Tech University School of Law
OccupationLawyer

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.[3][4] Reynolds is the first African American elected as State Representative in Fort Bend County in Reconstruction.[5] 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, but was suspended from the practice of law. He was disbarred on July 29, 2019. Additionally, Reynolds has served as a Houston Associate Municipal Judge.[6]

Education

Reynolds went to Texas Southern University and graduated in 1996. He then attended Texas Tech University School of Law, graduating in 1999.[7]

Political career

Reynolds first vied in the Democratic party primary elections for the representative of Richmond, Texas in 2008 against the incumbent, Dora Olivo.[8] 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%).[9] In the same year's general elections, he beat Derek Dean Grayson of the Libertarian Party.[10] He was sworn in on 10 January 2011 as State Representative, House District 27.[11]

In 2012, he ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primaries and won re-election with 69% of the votes in the general elections.[10] Reynolds was elected for a third term during the 2014 general elections after polling 24,326 (67%) against David Wayne Hamilton's 11,990.[10] 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.[12]

During the 2020 primaries, general elections, he defeated Tom Virippan to win re-election.[13] 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.[14] Reynolds was elected Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus in August 2022.[11]

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.[15]

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.[16] He received Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award under both President Barack Obama and Joe Biden.[17]

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 in county jail.[18] On November 29, 2017, the El Paso Court of Appeals, hearing the case on transfer from the Beaumont Court of Appeals, affirmed the conviction. 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.[19][20]

References

  1. ↑ "Rep. Ron Reynolds - Texas State Directory Online".
  2. ↑ "DISTRICT 26 State Rep. – David Hamilton (Republican), Ron Reynolds (Democrat)". Fort Bend Star. October 28, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=27~first=~gender=~last=Reynolds~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee= "Ron Reynolds". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved December 12, 2014. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. ↑ Sudhalter, Michael (September 24, 2014). "Rep. Reynolds' barratry trial begins November 3". Fort Bend Star. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Goldenstein, Taylor (August 8, 2019). "State Rep. Ron Reynolds is disbarred months after jail release". GreenwichTime. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Rep. Reynolds, Ron District 27". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  7. ↑ "HBCU Students and Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds Lead Charge in Forming First-Ever Texas HBCU Legislative Caucus". htu.edu. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Texas Consultants Power Rankings Score". capitolinside.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  9. ↑ Ramshaw, Emily (March 4, 2010). "Surprise!". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 "Ron Reynolds". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Representatives, Texas House of. "Texas House of Representatives". www.house.texas.gov. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ "State Rep. Ron Reynolds wins re-election from Montgomery County jail cell". khou.com. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  13. ↑ Shoop, Claire (March 3, 2020). "UPDATED: Democratic State Rep. Ron Reynolds, Republican Tom Virippan to compete in general election for Texas House District 27". Community Impact. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ron Reynolds, Texas Rep.: Email and phone. Salary, biographical details and latest news". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  15. ↑ Phillips, Bret (November 17, 2023). "Ron Reynolds | Texas Black Expo". texasblackexpo.com. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Ron Reynolds plans to seek re-election". fbindependent.com. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  17. ↑ LAStyleMix (November 12, 2022). "Leaders Esteem Christian Bible University Presents Honorary Doctorate Graduation & Second Annual Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony in Houston, Texas – December 4, 2022". LA Style Mix. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  18. ↑ Tresaugue, Matthew (November 23, 2015). "State Rep. Reynolds gets 1 year in jail, fine after barratry conviction - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  19. ↑ McCullough, Jolie (May 23, 2018). "Democratic state Rep. Ron Reynolds likely headed to jail after Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refuses to review his case". THE TEXAS TRIBUNE.
  20. ↑ Scherer, Julian Gill, Jasper (January 4, 2019). "State Rep. Ron Reynolds released from Montgomery Co. Jail after serving nearly 4 months". Chron. Retrieved November 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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