Judith Zaffirini

Senator Judith Zaffirini, the first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas Senate, became the first woman Dean of the Senate on Dec. 31, 2023. She succeeds 24 men who held the title since 1909. One of only 25 women who have served with 954 male senators in 89 Texas Legislatures, in 1986 she and Eddie Bernice Johnson became the 7th women state senators in Texas. Dean Zaffirini’s legendary work ethic is reflected in her having cast 76,843 consecutive votes since 1987 and passing 1,524 bills, making her the highest bill-passer in the history of the State of Texas. An award-winning Communication Specialist and former educator who supported herself since she was 17, she holds B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. She is the owner of Zaffirini Communications and president of the Mr. South Texas Foundation and of the D&J Alexander Foundation and its two entities.