Valoree Swanson


Valoree Hanson Swanson is an American politician who serves as a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives. She was first elected in 2016, when she unseated incumbent Debbie Riddle in the Republican primary election. She then defeated Democrat Michael Shawn Kelly in the 2016 general election.

Political career

In April 2017, Swanson attached an amendment to a $218.2 billion House appropriations bill which would have compelled all 150 House members to vote on April 6 on State Senator Lois Kolkhorst's bathroom bill, which had already cleared the Senate with the strong support of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. If adopted, the legislation would have required persons to use the public restroom which corresponds with their physical genitalia, rather than their personal view of their own gender. Many businesses and sports groups have strongly opposed the measure. House leaders refused to permit a vote on the Swanson amendment, which was instead sent as part of "Article 11" for consideration later by the conference committee reconciling the differences in the House and Senate budgets.
Swanson is the author of HB 1485, which would in her words "free our teachers fear of frivolous accusations" when they question scientific theories such as climate change. She called her proposed legislation protection of "academic freedom" of grade school and high school classrooms. Swanson claimed that "certain scientists have faked the temperature results " and that faculty must be freed to offer alternative views.
Swanson won her second term in the House in the general election held on November 6, 2018. With 40,864 votes, she again defeated Democrat Michael Shawn Kelly, who polled 29,837.