Lance Gooden

Lance Carter Gooden is a Republican politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 5th congressional district since 2019. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Terrell, Texas, Gooden graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in government and a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance. Before entering public service, he worked for ten years as an insurance broker and risk management consultant, specializing in the energy sector. Gooden’s political career began in the Texas House of Representatives, where he represented the 4th district from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2019. During his tenure in the state legislature, he served on committees related to insurance, public education, and appropriations. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, succeeding Jeb Hensarling, and has since been re-elected for subsequent terms. In Congress, Gooden is a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Armed Services. He has been involved in legislative efforts concerning border security, financial services, and government oversight. His work often focuses on representing the interests of his district, which encompasses parts of Dallas as well as several rural and exurban counties to the east.

Gooden maintains a consistently conservative platform centered on free-market economics, border security, and limited government. He advocates for reducing federal regulations and supporting pro-growth economic policies to benefit American businesses and families. On immigration, he is a strong proponent of securing the southern border, increasing support for Border Patrol and ICE, and implementing stricter enforcement of immigration laws to remove criminal illegal aliens. In the realm of healthcare, Gooden identifies as pro-life and opposes the use of taxpayer funds for abortion services. He supports market-based healthcare reforms aimed at increasing patient choice and reducing costs, while firmly opposing proposals for socialized medicine. Additionally, he has supported legislation such as the FARM Act to assist the agricultural sector and has frequently called for greater government oversight and fiscal responsibility in federal spending bills.