MEET JUDITH ZAFFIRINI
Representing Texas' 21st Senatorial District
Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) represents the 21st Senatorial District, which stretches from the Rio Grande to the Colorado River and the Valley. Re-elected in 2022 in an eleventh landslide victory, she is the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Senate and became the first woman Dean of the Senate on Dec. 31, 2023.
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Judith Zaffirini on the Issues
Texas Health Crisis
Because Senator Judith Zaffirini strongly believes health care is a right, not a privilege, she champions expanding access to quality health and human services, especially for the very young, the very old, the very poor, persons with disabilities, and veterans. This means strong support of Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, and state legislation banning health insurance policies that exclude persons with preexisting conditions.
Employment & Jobs
Texas’ population grew 15.9 percent in the last decade, thanks largely to our state’s business-friendly policies, skilled and educated workforce, and entrepreneurial opportunities. As Senate Chair of the Eagle Ford Legislative Caucus and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development, Senator Judith Zaffirini is positioned uniquely to advance policies that promote economic growth and spur job creation while protecting our environment for future generations. This will ensure Texas remains the best place to live and work.
Education
Senator Judith Zaffirini advocates for access, affordability and transparency in Texas colleges and universities—without sacrificing excellence. Having supported herself since she was 17 and married at 18, she knows firsthand the crushing burden of student loan debt. She earned B.S., M.A. and PhD degrees at UT-Austin and held as many as three part-time jobs simultaneously. Later, she commuted to Austin while teaching full-time at Laredo Junior College. Her strategies for reducing the costs of higher education include accelerating the expansion of tuition-free universities, instituting student loan forgiveness programs, and supporting workforce education programs.
