Tony Garza
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Antonio Oscar "Tony" Garza, Jr. (born July 7, 1961 in Brownsville, Texas), an American lawyer and former county judge in Texas, is the United States ambassador to Mexico.
Garza, the grandson of Mexican immigrants to the U.S, graduated from Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville, the seat of Cameron County on the Gulf of Mexico coast in far south Texas. He earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Southern Methodist University and practiced law before being elected the Cameron County county judge (an administrative position) in 1988. A Republican, Garza served as the appointed Texas secretary of state under Governor George W. Bush. In 1998, Garza became the first Hispanic Republican to hold statewide elected office in Texas when he was elected to the Texas Railroad Commission. Thereafter, Garza also served as a partner in the Texas-based law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani.
Although Garza was reportedly considered for a cabinet appointment in Bush's presidential administration, in 2002 he was named by President Bush as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.
On February 26, 2005, he married Mexico's richest woman, María Asunción Aramburuzabala in Mexico City in a small religious ceremony. April 23rd, they had a civil marriage ceremony near Valle de Bravo, west of Mexico City. U.S. First Lady Laura Bush was in attendance, though President Bush was unable to attend.
Tony Garza also serves on the Advisory Council of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University in College Station.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ron Kirk |
Secretary of State of Texas 1995-1997 |
Succeeded by Alberto Gonzales |
| Preceded by Jeffrey S. Davidow |
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico 2002–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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