Leo Pacheco
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 118th district
In office
January 8, 2019 – August 19, 2021
Preceded byTomas Uresti
Succeeded byJohn Lujan
Personal details
Born (1957-12-12) December 12, 1957
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMelva
Children2
EducationSan Antonio College (AA)
Texas A&M University–San Antonio (BBA)
University of Texas at San Antonio (MPA)

Leo Pacheco is an American educator and politician who served in the Texas House of Representatives from January 8, 2019, to August 19, 2021, representing the 118th district.

Early life and education

Pacheco's family is descended from the settlers who founded the original San Antonio mission from the Canary Islands. He was raised on San Antonio's South Side. Pacheco graduated from Harlandale High School in 1976.[1][2] Pacheco became the first member of his family to graduate from college; he earned an associate's degree at San Antonio College, a Bachelor of Business Management at Texas A&M University–San Antonio, and a Master of Public Administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He worked his way through school,[3] including as a bus driver for VIA Metropolitan Transit.[4]

Career

Pacheco was the chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party for four years in the 1990s.[5] He worked as a human resource specialist for Palo Alto College and taught as an adjunct professor at UTSA and San Antonio College.[4]

Texas House of Representatives

In 2018, Pacheco ran for the Texas House of Representatives for the 118th district in the Democratic Party's primary election against incumbent Tomas Uresti. He defeated Uresti,[6] and faced Republican John Lujan in the general election. Pacheco defeated Lujan, with 58 percent of the vote to Lujan's 42 percent.[7] Pacheco supported Michael Bloomberg in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[8]

Pacheco ran for reelection in 2020 and was not opposed in the Democratic Party primary election. He faced Republican Adam Salyer in the November 3, 2020, general election and won with 57% of the vote.[9]

In May 2021, Pacheco was one of seven Democrats to vote in favor of permitless carry in the state of Texas.[10] In result, Bexar County Democratic Party censured him.[11] In the beginning of August 2021, Pacheco announced that he planned to resign from the Texas House during the second session of the Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature.[10][12] He said that he would resign in order to teach public administration at San Antonio College. Pacheco resigned from the Texas House on August 19, 2021.[13]

Personal life

Pacheco and his wife, Melva, have two children.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Fechter, Joshua (September 7, 2019). "San Antonio Native American group hosts sunrise ceremony at the Alamo". ExpressNews.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ Donaldson, Emily (June 13, 2019). "Harlandale ISD Prepares to Fight Potential TEA Sanctions". Therivardreport.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Texas House of Representatives: Rep. Pacheco, Leo District 118". House.texas.gov. September 18, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Ortiz, Edmond (October 16, 2018). "Community Service Drives Lujan, Pacheco in House District 118 Race". Therivardreport.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. ↑ Beltran, Jacob (December 6, 2018). "Meet Bexar County's new Texas House representatives". ExpressNews.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Leo Pacheco defeats incumbent Tomas Uresti in District 118 Democratic Primary". KSAT-TV. March 7, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ Donaldson, Emily (November 6, 2018). "Allison Wins Straus' Seat in State HD 121 Race; Martinez Fischer Returns to Lege". Therivardreport.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. ↑ Frank, Nicholas (March 1, 2020). "Bloomberg Rallies San Antonio Voters Ahead of Super Tuesday". Rivard Report. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. ↑ Frank, Nicholas (March 3, 2020). "Rodriguez Leads Early Results For Senate District 19". Therivardreport.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "San Antonio State Rep. Leo Pacheco to resign from Texas House before second term ends". KABB. August 9, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Bexar Democrats censure San Antonio State Rep. Leo Pacheco for support of open-carry bill". San Antonio Current. May 14, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  12. ↑ "San Antonio Democrat Leo Pacheco reportedly planning to resign from Texas House before second term ends". Texas Tribune. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Garcia: Special-election field takes shape for vacant Texas House seat". San Antonio Express-News. August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
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