Republican · Texas's 17th District · 2026
Pete Sessions
Sessions grew up in Waco, became an Eagle Scout and worked as an AT&T executive before entering politics.
Biography
Pete Sessions’ Waco upbringing included delivering newspapers for the Waco Tribune Herald and becoming an Eagle Scout.1 He and his wife Karen have five sons in their family and are grandparents.1 His community work has included Scouting, disability assistance and conservation organizations.1
Sessions graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown in 1978 and went into the telephone business.21 He worked for Southwestern Bell and retired as a district manager before running for Congress.1 He later served for twelve years on Southwestern’s board of trustees.1
His congressional career spans two stretches: January 1997 to January 2019, followed by his return in January 2021.2 He chaired the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019.2 He also led the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2010 election, when Republicans regained the House.1 He now chairs the Government Operations Subcommittee on Oversight and Government Reform and serves on Financial Services.1
Sessions faces Democratic attorney Casey Shepard in November.3 His stated priorities include balancing the federal budget without new taxes, stronger immigration enforcement and a border wall, national defense and lower family healthcare costs.1 He also calls for research and development investment to support American competitiveness, and serves as a co chair of the congressional DOGE Caucus.1
Record and controversies
Ukraine ambassador letter and donor case
In May 2018, Sessions wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch; contemporary reporting described his letter as an appeal for her removal.45 A 2019 indictment alleged that Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman promised fundraising for an unnamed congressman while Parnas sought help removing her; news reports identified Sessions as that congressman.65 Sessions denied wrongdoing, saying colleagues' allegations of comments against Trump prompted his letter.5 The indictment alleged that the scheme was concealed from candidates and campaigns, and did not name Sessions as a defendant.6
Parnas was convicted of campaign finance and false statements offenses in October 2021 and received 20 months in June 2022, after also pleading guilty to a separate wire fraud conspiracy.7 Fruman received 366 days in January 2022 for soliciting a foreign national's contribution.7 Those criminal outcomes concern the donors, rather than a Sessions conviction.76