| Gary VanDeaver | |
| State House: | Texas |
| District: | 1st |
| Party: | Republican |
| Term Start: | January 13, 2015 |
| Preceded: | George Lavender |
| Birth Date: | 25 September 1958 |
| Birth Place: | Grimes County, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Educator |
| Residence: | New Boston, Texas, U.S. |
| Children: | 2 |
| Alma Mater: | Texas A&M University–Commerce |
Gary Wayne VanDeaver (born September 25, 1958)[1] is an American politician serving as the state representative for the Texas House of Representatives' 1st district, which encompasses Bowie, Cass, Lamar, Morris, and Red River counties in northeastern Texas.[2] He is a retired lifelong educator with the Avery Independent School District, Rivercrest Independent School District[3] and finally at New Boston Independent School District in New Boston, Texas, where he still resides.
VanDeaver was first elected in 2014, and has been re-elected by his district four times, in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022.[4] He has defeated the previous incumbent, George Lavender, on three separate occasions, and has never faced opposition in a general election. He identifies as a Conservative Republican.
VanDeaver was born in Grimes County south of College Station, Texas.[1] [5] [6] He grew up on a cattle ranch in Red River County outside of Clarksville TX [7]
VanDeaver was first elected in 2014, defeating the incumbent George Lavender by 54.34%-45.66% in the 2014 Republican primary election.[8] VanDeaver faced no opposition in the 2014 general election.
VanDeaver easily defeated Lavender in a rematch in the 2016 Republican primary on March 1, 2016.[9] VanDeaver received 18,263 votes (61.93 percent) to Lavender's 11,242 (38.07 percent).[10] VanDeaver faced no opposition in the 2016 general election.
VanDeaver ran unopposed in the 2018 Republican primary.[11] VanDeaver ran unopposed in the general election held on November 6, 2018.[12]
VanDeaver ran unopposed in the 2020 Republican primary.[13] VanDeaver ran unopposed in the general election held on November 3, 2020.[14]
VanDeaver ran again in the 2022 Republican primary, once again defeating Lavender (and a third candidate, Ray Null); the margin being 62.88%-28.96% over Lavender with Null taking only 8.16%.[15] As with his previous general election races, VanDeaver again faced no opposition.
VanDeaver ran in the 2024 Republican primary against Chris Spencer and Dale Huls. VanDeaver received 45.5% of the primary vote, while Spencer garnered 43.0% and Huls received 11.4%, resulting in a runoff election.[16] In the Republican primary runoff, VanDeaver defeated Spencer with 53.5% of the vote, while Spencer received 46.5%.[17]