Tom Craddick

Thomas Russell Craddick is an American politician serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 82nd district. First elected in 1968, he is the longest-serving legislator in the history of the Texas House and the longest-serving incumbent state legislator in the United States. A member of the Republican Party, Craddick served as the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009, becoming the first Republican to hold the position since the Reconstruction era. Beyond his legislative career, he is a businessman with interests in the oil and gas industry and has been a prominent figure in Texas politics for over five decades.