State Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) has served the people of Senate District 30 since 2001. He serves nearly 700,000 constituents in the diverse 18-county district that stretches from rural communities of West Texas to urban communities surrounding the north and west sides of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Senator Estes joined the Texas Senate in the autumn of 2001 after winning a special election to complete the tenure of the late Senator Tom Haywood. The following year Senator Estes was elected to his first full term and took his place in 2003 among the state's 31 state senators during the 78th Regular Session and First, Second and Third Special Called Sessions of the Texas Legislature.

Senator Estes quickly immersed himself in the task of seeking wise legislative solutions to a wide spectrum of paramount challenges facing Senate District 30 and the Lone Star State. He is vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations, and he is a key player on other major issues through his work as a member of the Senate committees on Business and Commerce, Natural Resources, International Relations and Trade, and the Agriculture Subcommittee. He also serves as vice chairman of the Legislature's Rural Caucus.

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst had these words to say about Senator Estes' work during the 78th Regular Session: "Senator Estes proved himself to be a hard-working statesman, very committed to the process of passing good legislation. He did an outstanding job of representing his North Texas constituents in Senate District 30 while balancing what is best for all Texans. His leadership, personal integrity, and ability to craft compromise exemplifies what our founding fathers had in mind when they established our citizen legislature."

The Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT) honored Senator Estes with their "Legislator of the Year Award" following the 78th Legislative Session. The Texas Association of Business designated Senator Estes as its "Fighter For Free Enterprise" based upon his distinguished voting record on behalf of the Texas business community during the 78th Session.

Recently Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst appointed him to the Select Committee on Workers' Compensation.

Senator Estes is a native of Wichita Falls and represents a fifth generation from the North Texas area. He was graduated from Wichita Falls High School in 1971 and earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Oral Roberts University in 1977. He also is a 1993 graduate of the Harvard Business School Owner President Manager Program.

Senator Estes is chairman of the board of Estes, Inc., a wholesale distributor of chemicals and fertilizers with outlets across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, Arizona, and South Dakota. He is active and well-respected in the industry and served as president of the Texas Agricultural Chemicals Association in 1989.

Senator Estes is active in his community and has served on the boards of several civic organizations. He also is active in the Young Presidents Organization including the Board of International Directors.

Senator Estes and his wife of 25 years, the former Jennifer Huff of Wichita Falls, have three children: Abby, Andrew and Mark. The family is active in the First Presbyterian Church, where Senator Estes serves as an Elder.