Ferdinand Frank Fischer III[1] (born June 6, 1970), better known as Trey Martinez Fischer, is an American politician. He is a member of the Texas House of Representatives, and has represented the 116th district since 2019, having previously held the seat from 2001 to 2017. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Trey Martinez Fischer | |
|---|---|
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| Minority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| In office January 10, 2023 – January 14, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Turner |
| Succeeded by | Gene Wu |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 116th district | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Diana Arevalo |
| In office January 9, 2001 – January 10, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Leo Alvarado |
| Succeeded by | Diana Arevalo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ferdinand Frank Fischer III June 5, 1970 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Provencio |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Texas, San Antonio (BA) Baruch College (MPA) University of Texas, Austin (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Nickname | TMF |
He was named one of the "10 Best Legislators" by Texas Monthly magazine in both 2013 and 2015,[2] who described him as a "soldier prepared to do battle but ready to make peace". The Houston Chronicle and the San Francisco Chronicle named him one of the "20 Latino political rising stars of 2012",[3] placing him among those under 55, "who just might change the face of American politics over the next two decades".
Martinez Fischer is the former chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.[4]
Early life and education
editMartinez Fischer was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Oliver Wendell Holmes High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and in 1994 was selected to study as a National Urban Fellow. He is a graduate of Baruch College of Public Affairs in New York City, and the University of Texas School of Law.
Legislative career
editMartinez Fischer was first elected to the seat of District 118 in the Texas House of Representatives in 2000. In 2011, he was the lead Democratic author on HB 3727, the Boeing Bill. As a result of this bill, Air Force One will be refitted and repaired in San Antonio.[5]
He was selected by then House Speaker Joe Straus to sit on the Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations,[6] and the Select Committee on Redistricting during the first called special session of the 83rd Legislature.
On February 17, 2015, Martinez Fischer was defeated in a special election by fellow Democratic House colleague Jose Menendez for the District 26 seat in the Texas Senate. The regular election was hotly contested, with Martinez Fischer earning a double-digit lead over his opponent. In a special runoff election marked by low turnout among Democratic voters and unprecedented participation by San Antonio Republicans, Menendez edged out Martinez Fischer.[citation needed]
Martinez Fischer challenged and lost again to Menendez for a full Senate term in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2016. Diana Arevalo, the secretary for the Bexar County Democratic Party, won the Democratic primary for the seat Martinez Fischer held through 2017, and as she was unopposed in the general election, succeeded Martinez Fischer in January 2017.[citation needed] In 2018, he unseated Arevalo in the Democratic primary for his former state House seat.[7] He won the subsequent general election on November 6 over the Republican nominee Fernando Padron, 32,375 votes (70.4 percent) to 13,612 (29.6 percent). Martinez Fischer returned to the House in January 2019.[8]
Disparaging remarks
editOn June 27, 2014, while speaking at the Texas Democratic Convention, Martinez Fischer attacked the Republican Party, saying "GOP" should stand for "gringos y otros pendejos". His office had also been handing out six Lotería cards to delegates, one depicting Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott as "El Diablito". Martinez Fischer responded by saying that if he had known Abbott was in attendance, he would have "told him directly to his face."[9]
Personal life
editHe and his wife, the former Elizabeth Provencio, an attorney and trustee of the San Antonio Water System, are the parents of two daughters.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Texas Dem. serves seven terms under Latino alias". BizPac Review. October 11, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- ^ Burka, Paul; Grieder, Erica; Smith, Sonia; Sweany, Brian D. (July 2013). "2013: Best and Worst Legislators". Texas Monthly Magazine.
- ^ "20 Latino political rising stars of 2012". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ "The new face of America", The Economist, retrieved July 21, 2009
- ^ "Boeing will move up to 400 jobs to Alamo City". January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "Representative Trey Martinez Fischer". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ Walters, Edgar (March 6, 2018). "Texas Rep. Dawnna Dukes and three other Democrats lose their state House seats". Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ "Greg Abbott: Wendy Davis' allies think Republicans are 'gringos' and 'pendejos'". June 28, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2021.