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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Kirk Watson is a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate, representing District 14. Watson was first elected to the chamber in 2006. Watson is running for re-election in 2018. The primary election took place on March 6, 2018. The general election is being held on November 6, 2018.

Watson graduated with a B.A. from Baylor University and also graduated with a J.D. from Baylor Law School in 1981.

In addition to being a senator, Watson is also a partner at Hughes & Luce, Limited Liability Partnership and has held that title since 1997. Prior to his election to the state senate, Watson was also the mayor of Austin and was in that office from 1997 to 2005.

Caucuses/Former Committees

Former Member, Business and Commerce Committee, Texas Senate

Former Member, Committee of the Whole Senate, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Economic Development Committee, Texas Senate

Former Member, Education Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Finance Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Government Facilities Select Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Health and Human Services Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Higher Education Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Joint Committee of Oversight of Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Select Committee on Redistricting, Texas State Senate

Former Vice Chair, Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, Texas State Senate

Vice Chair, Nominations Committee, Texas State Senate, 2017-2020

Education

  • JD, Law, Baylor University School of Law, 1981-1984
  • BA, Baylor University, 1976-1981

Professional Experience

  • JD, Law, Baylor University School of Law, 1981-1984
  • BA, Baylor University, 1976-1981
  • Partner/Of Counsel, Husch Blackwell, Limited Liability Partnership, 2009-present

Political Experience

  • JD, Law, Baylor University School of Law, 1981-1984
  • BA, Baylor University, 1976-1981
  • Partner/Of Counsel, Husch Blackwell, Limited Liability Partnership, 2009-present
  • Senator, Texas State Senate, District 14, 2007-2020
  • President Pro Tempore, Texas State Senate, 2019
  • Candidate, Texas State Senate, District 14, 2018
  • Mayor, City of Austin, 1997-2001

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Business and Commerce Committee, Texas Senate

Former Member, Committee of the Whole Senate, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Economic Development Committee, Texas Senate

Former Member, Education Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Finance Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Government Facilities Select Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Health and Human Services Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Higher Education Committee, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Joint Committee of Oversight of Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, Texas State Senate

Former Member, Select Committee on Redistricting, Texas State Senate

Former Vice Chair, Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, Texas State Senate

Vice Chair, Nominations Committee, Texas State Senate, 2017-2020

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Education

Member, Finance

Member, Higher Education

Vice Chair, Nominations

Member, Select Committee on Redistricting

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • JD, Law, Baylor University School of Law, 1981-1984
  • BA, Baylor University, 1976-1981
  • Partner/Of Counsel, Husch Blackwell, Limited Liability Partnership, 2009-present
  • Senator, Texas State Senate, District 14, 2007-2020
  • President Pro Tempore, Texas State Senate, 2019
  • Candidate, Texas State Senate, District 14, 2018
  • Mayor, City of Austin, 1997-2001
  • Member, Board of Directors, Livestrong Foundation, present
  • Member, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, present
  • Representative, Young Lawyers Division, American Bar Association, present
  • Former Chair, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
  • Former Chair, Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters, State Bar of Texas
  • Former Member, Executive Committee, State Bar of Texas
  • Former Chair, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
  • Former Chair, Texas Advisory Board of Environmental Defense Fund
  • Former President, Texas Young Lawyers Association
  • Chair, Texas Air Control Board, Sunset Advisory Commission, 1991-1993

Other Info

Favorite Book:

Lincoln at Gettysburg; pretty much any political biography; fiction by Carl Hiaisson, Richard North Patterson and Robert B. Parker

Favorite Movie:

The Godfather; The Big Lebowski; Snatch; Raising Arizona; Cool Hand Luke; Galaxy Quest

Favorite TV Shows:

The Daily Show; The Wire; West Wing; The Sopranos; My Name is Earl; Sons of Anarchy; Justified; Breaking Bad

Favorite Type of Music:

Bob Dylan; the Allman Brothers Band; Counting Crows; Willie; the Eagles; Blues Traveler; Coldplay; Robert Earl Keen; Jimmie Dale Gilmore; Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel

Hobbies or Special Talents:

Politics; running (not just for office, but really running -- for exercise); watching my boys play sports; watching any kind of football on the weekend.

State Bills
Events

2020

Aug. 19
The Hobby Hour, Aug. 19

Wed 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT

Hobby School of Public Affairs Houston, TX