Chuy Hinojosa

State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa proudly represents the people of District 20. Born in McAllen, Texas, Hinojosa is the eldest of eight children. He attended Mission Independent School District schools as a child, and worked as a farm worker during his teen years. Hinojosa led the Mission Eagles football team as their quarterback, and after graduation he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. Hinojosa served his country with distinction in Vietnam before returning home to continue his education. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Texas-Pan American, where he graduated with honors, and a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. After returning to South Texas, Hinojosa served as staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Nueces County and later as an Assistant Attorney General for the Texas Attorney General. Since 1980, Hinojosa has operated a private practice in Hidalgo County representing clients in both civil and criminal matters. Hinojosa served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1981 until 1991 and again from 1997 to 2003. Since his election to the Texas Senate in 2003, Senator Hinojosa has secured funding for major infrastructure projects and authored historic legislation creating the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine.