Eddie Morales | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Member of the TexasHouseofRepresentatives from the 74th district | |
| Assumed office January 12, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Poncho Nevárez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Heriberto Morales Jr. January 24,1975 |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Hellen Martinez |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Texas,Austin (BA) St. Mary's University,Texas (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney,business owner |
| Signature | |
| Website | Campaign website |
Heriberto "Eddie" Morales Jr. (born January 24,1975) [1] is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. He is an attorney and has represented the 74th District since 2021. District 74 includes 770 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border encompassing 11 counties ranging from Maverick County to El Paso County. [2] These include Maverick,Kinney,Val Verde,Terrell,Brewster,Presidio,Jeff Davis,Reeves,Culberson,Hudspeth,and El Paso Counties. Cities within the district include Eagle Pass,Del Rio,Alpine,Marfa,Pecos,and east El Paso. [3]
Born in Piedras Negras,Coahuila,Mexico in 1975,Morales graduated from Eagle Pass High School in Eagle Pass,Texas in 1993. [4] [5] He subsequently attended the University of Texas at Austin,where he received a BA in Political Science and a double minor in Business and Spanish in 1997. Morales later earned his Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2000. Since then,Morales has worked for Langley &Bannack in Eagle Pass,where he is currently a partner and member of the management board. [5] He previously served as president of the Maverick County Bar Association and is a City Attorney for the cities of Eagle Pass and Brackettville. [2] He is the owner of his family's tortilla factory business,Piedras Negras Tortilla Factory in Eagle Pass,where he has worked since high school. [4]
Morales announced in November 2019 to run for the Texas House of Representatives District 74th seat,that was being held by Poncho Nevárez at the time. [4] Representative Nevárez announced in late 2019,that he would not seek re-election for the 87th legislature. [4]
He was appointed in 2023 by Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan and again in 2025 by Speaker Dustin Burrows as Vice Chair of the House Energy and Resources Committee. [6]
Morales is currently serving as a member of the following committees: [6]
Source: [7]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Eddie Morales Jr. | 26,131 | 53.9 | 0.00 | |
| Republican | Ruben Falcon | 22,334 | 46.1 | 0.00 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Eddie Morales Jr. | 21,112 | 55.7 | +1.8 | |
| Republican | Katherine Parker | 16,813 | 44.3 | 0.00 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Eddie Morales Jr. | 28,203 | 51.7 | −4.0 | |
| Republican | Robert Garza | 26,378 | 48.3 | 0.00 | |
Morales supports legal immigration, expanding worker visa permits and bracero-type visas for farming and agriculture. He is also in favor of a controlled and secured border using a combination of manpower, advanced border security technology and a physical border. [8]
Morales supports expanding Medicaid, so that all receive quality and affordable healthcare. Three counties within the district have zero physicians servicing their communities. [8] Morales is also an advocate for mental health resources for West and South Texas.
Morales supports more funding in his district for transportation, as he believes roadway access between communities through a modernized roadway is essential for the safety of our citizens and the growth of communities. He states that cities and counties in the district cannot afford significant infrastructure investments. [5] [8]