Republican Ernest Bailes Announces Reelection Campaign
SHEPHERD, TX – Today, State Representative Ernest Bailes (R-Shepherd) announced his reelection campaign for the Texas House of Representatives. Since 2017, Bailes has represented the people of House District 18, an area of southeast Texas that includes Liberty and San Jacinto counties. Hardin County and a portion of Montgomery County were also added to HD 18 through the recent redistricting process.
"Serving the people of House District 18 has been an absolute honor,” said Bailes. “While I am disappointed to lose Walker County in redistricting, I look forward to serving the people of Hardin and Montgomery counties with the same level of dedication and commitment. Now more than ever, the people of East Texas need a strong, conservative voice to stand up for our rural values and defend our conservative way of life at the Texas Capitol.”
During the recent legislative session, Bailes helped pass one of the most conservative legislative agendas in history, including constitutional carry, landmark election integrity reforms, banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory in our schools, supporting law enforcement, and passing the Texas Heartbeat Protection Act, the strongest pro-life law in the nation.
“I’m proud of my record of results for our community and proud of the many legislative victories we were able to achieve for the people of Texas this session,” continued Bailes. “Whether it’s defending our Second Amendment rights, standing up for our current and retired teachers, caring for our veterans, or defending religious liberty, the people of this district can know that I will stand up and fight for what is right.”
A lifelong rancher and agriculturalist, Ernest was raised on his family’s dairy and beef cattle operations in East Texas. He grew up in Shepherd and earned his B.S. from Texas A&M University in 2004. After graduation, Ernest founded his company, Repro Select, an advanced reproductive services provider for cattle and whitetail deer producers across the south-central United States.
Ernest serves on numerous boards and committees, including the San Jacinto Farm Bureau, Texas Deer Association, and the Shepherd ISD Technology Advisory Board.
Ernest and his wife Courtney have been married for 17 years and have two sons, Cinco and Rigby. Both boys attend Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD, where Courtney is a schoolteacher. The Bailes family attends First Baptist Church in Coldspring.