Kevin Eltife
| Kevin Paul Eltife | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 1st district |
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In office March 5, 2004 – January 9, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Ratliff |
| Succeeded by | Bryan Hughes |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 1, 1959 Smith County, Texas |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Kelly |
| Residence | Tyler, Smith County, Texas |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
| Profession | Businessman |
Kevin Paul Eltife (born March 1, 1959) is an American businessman and former politician from Tyler, Texas. A Republican, served in the Texas Senate from 2004 through 2017. He was sworn in on March 5, 2004, after winning a special election to represent District 1. He declined to seek re-election in 2016 and was succeeded in office by fellow Republican Bryan Hughes.
Eltife was born in Tyler, Texas, and grew up there. He is a Lebanese American; all of his grandparents immigrated to the United States from Lebanon. His father died when Eltife was under two years old.
Eltife is the owner and operator of Eltife Properties, a commercial real estate company.
Eltife first entered politics in 1991, when he ran for a city council seat. He subsequently served as mayor of Tyler for two terms (six years).
Eltife defeated Paul Sadler in the special election for Texas Senate; in 2012, Sadler was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee against Ted Cruz for one of the two Texas seats in the United States Senate. The position opened when state Senator and former Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant resigned with less than a year remaining in his state Senate term.
Eltife was a strong proponent of raising sales taxes and reducing property taxes. Eltife wishes to use additional sales tax revenue to reduce the debt of the Texas Department of Transportation.
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Wikipedia