Jane Nelson

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Jane Nelson (born 5 October 1951) is the second highest ranking Republican in the Texas Senate and serves as Chairman of the Health & Human Services Committee.

Senator Nelson represents District 12 which includes parts of Denton and Tarrant Counties. Prior to serving on the Texas state Senate, she served two terms on the State Board of Education and was also a former teacher. She earned a B.S. degree from the University of North Texas in 1972. Her hometown is Lewisville, Texas, where she lives with her husband, J. Michael Nelson, one son, and four daughters. In addition to being a Texas state Senator, she also owns an aviation manufacturing firm.

As a child in Hamilton, Ohio, her parents would often bring current issues into dinner table conversation. She later went on to pay her way through college where she first became involved in politics. After two terms on the State Board of Education, Nelson decided that the most effective way to positively change education was to run for the state senate. Senator Nelson was first elected in 1993. During her first year in the state Senate, the Democrats were in the majority and many of her views were ignored. Texas Monthly rated her the worst politician in 1993, calling her, "Loud and uninformed." In 2005 however, she is the second highest ranking Senator in the Republican Caucus. No longer is she considered to be uninformed as the Associated Press ranked her among the state's most effective politicians and praised her for the Child Protective Services Bill. Capitol Inside, an influential Web site based in Austin, named Nelson "Most Valuable Player" of the regular 2005 legislative session. Writers noted her work on health care and called her the Senate's most conservative member. On April 23, 2004, Senator Nelson served as the Acting Governor of Texas. On that day, she appointed her husband, Michael Nelson, as her replacement senator.

[edit] External links

• Texas Senator Jane Nelson (R-12)
• Campaign site
• Source Information for article Click Here

Preceded by: Mike Moncrief (D)	Texas Senate, District 12 2003 – present	Incumbent
Preceded by: David Sibley (R)	Texas Senate, District 9 1995–2003	Succeeded by: Chris Harris (R)