Todd Staples unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2014.
16 Facts About Todd Staples
1.
2.
Todd Staples was reared in Palestine, the seat of government of his native Anderson County in East Texas.
3.
Todd Staples graduated from Palestine High School, where he was an active member of the Future Farmers of America.
4.
Todd Staples started a plant nursery and later became involved in cattle ranching with his family.
5.
Todd Staples has two adult children from his first marriage, which ended in divorce.
6.
Todd Staples is a Southern Baptist deacon in his local church.
7.
Todd Staples serves as an expert witness for the Texas Legislature.
8.
Todd Staples served on the non-partisan Palestine City Council from 1989 to 1991.
9.
In 2000, Todd Staples entered the race for the District 3 seat in the Texas Senate, vacated by Drew Nixon.
10.
Todd Staples sponsored and helped to pass a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
11.
Todd Staples was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Agriculture Commissioner in 2006 when the incumbent Susan Combs instead was elected Texas Comptroller to succeed Carole Strayhorn.
12.
Todd Staples defeated Democrat Hank Gilbert and Libertarian Clay Woolam in the November 7,2006, general election.
13.
Todd Staples received 2,307,406 votes, a margin of 547,000 votes over Gilbert.
14.
In 2010, Todd Staples ran for re-election as Agriculture Commissioner and won with more than 60 percent of the votes, again against Democrat Hank Gilbert.
15.
Todd Staples partnered with then-Attorney General Greg Abbott, who obtained a jury verdict of $30 million against a Houston-based owner of convenience stores.
16.
In 2003, Todd Staples sponsored a bill that prohibited the State of Texas from recognizing same-sex marriages, then again in 2005, sponsored and campaigned for another bill that successfully amended the Texas Constitution to limit marriage to one man and one woman.