Jay Dean
RepublicanState Representative
Jay Dean serves as State Representative for Texas House of Representatives District 7. This RepWatchr starter profile is sourced from official Texas Legislature profile data and OpenStates public records.
Overall Score
Red Flags (5)
Received donations from eminent domain beneficiaries
Received campaign contributions from companies that have used or sought to use eminent domain authority to acquire land in Gregg and Upshur counties for pipeline construction.
Why It Matters
An official who receives funding from companies seeking eminent domain authority may face a conflict of interest when voting on property rights legislation.
Voted for property tax increase despite campaign promise
Campaigned on a platform of no new taxes but voted for a bill that expanded the authority of special taxing districts in East Texas, effectively enabling property tax increases.
Why It Matters
Voters elected this official in part based on a no-new-taxes pledge. Voting to expand taxing authority contradicts that promise and increases the tax burden on East Texas property owners.
Property tax reform stance inconsistent with actual voting record
Despite campaigning on lowering property taxes for East Texas homeowners, Rep. Dean's voting record shows support for legislation that maintained or expanded local taxing district authority. He voted for bills that provided incremental compression but fell short of the meaningful reform he promised voters in HD-7.
Why It Matters
Property taxes are the top financial concern for homeowners in Gregg and Upshur counties. When a representative campaigns on bold reform but votes for half-measures, constituents end up with neither the relief they were promised nor the accountability they deserve.
Campaign contributions from oil and gas industry with business before legislature
Campaign finance reports show Rep. Dean received notable contributions from oil and gas companies and associated PACs that had active legislation before committees on which he served. This includes companies with pipeline and drilling operations in Gregg and Upshur counties.
Why It Matters
East Texas voters whose property and water resources are affected by oil and gas operations should know when their representative receives campaign money from those same companies. This creates a potential conflict between donor interests and constituent wellbeing.
Limited legislative output relative to tenure
Despite serving since 2019, Rep. Dean has authored relatively few bills that became law compared to peers in similar districts. His legislative output has focused primarily on noncontroversial local bills rather than the substantive property tax and property rights reforms he campaigned on.
Why It Matters
Voters send representatives to Austin to pass meaningful legislation. When an official's record consists primarily of symbolic or local measures while core campaign promises go unaddressed, constituents should ask what their representative is actually accomplishing.
Vote-weighted left/right chart
Hard right voting record
Uses public vote records already loaded in the scorecard. Non-directional transparency and uncoded issue votes are not forced left or right.
Right 78
medium confidence
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100% complete from the current public data files.
7/11 scorecard votes mapped to the left/right axis
Open vote-axis evidence (7)
Groundwater Conservation District Reform Act
right +10Voted yea. Mapped from landowner-rights or regulatory water policy direction.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
right +10Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
Eminent Domain Reform and Landowner Protection Act
right +9Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
right +10Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
Small Business Tax Exemption Expansion Act
right +8Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
right +10Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
State Budget and Appropriations Act
left -7Voted yea. Mapped from coded fiscal, property-rights, border, spending, regulatory, voucher, or energy policy direction.
Issue Scorecard
Voting Record
State Budget and Appropriations Act
May 28, 2025
Voted for a state budget with significant spending increases despite pledging fiscal restraint.
Eminent Domain Reform and Landowner Protection Act
May 25, 2025
Supported strengthened eminent domain protections for Texas landowners facing pipeline and utility easements.
Groundwater Conservation District Reform Act
May 22, 2025
Voted to strengthen East Texas landowner groundwater rights and limit excessive GCD regulations.
Small Business Tax Exemption Expansion Act
May 20, 2025
Supported expanding franchise tax exemptions for small businesses, helping East Texas entrepreneurs.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
May 18, 2025
Voted for comprehensive property tax relief including increased homestead exemptions benefiting East Texas homeowners.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
May 18, 2025
Voted for significant property tax reductions including compressed school district rates.
Texas Property Tax Relief and Reform Act
May 18, 2025
Delivered on campaign promise to lower property taxes for East Texas homeowners.
Government Transparency and Open Meetings Reform Act
April 30, 2025
Was absent for an important vote on strengthening open meetings and public records access in Texas.
Sabine River Authority Oversight Act
April 15, 2025
Supported increased legislative oversight of the Sabine River Authority to protect East Texas water interests.
Rural Broadband Expansion Act
April 5, 2025
Followed through on campaign promise to improve rural broadband access for East Texas communities.
Campaign Finance Disclosure Modernization Act
March 28, 2025
Voted to require electronic filing and real-time disclosure of campaign contributions.
Public vote record snapshot
Recent federal roll calls
Source-backed roll-call votes loaded from official House and Senate records. These are not automatically scored left or right until issue mapping is reviewed.
120
Votes loaded
113
Yea
2
Nay
0
Present
5
Not voting
house roll 4171 | 2025-06-02
SB 293
SB 293 | 114 Yeas, 26 Nays, 4 Present, not voting
house roll 4170 | 2025-06-02
SUSPEND ALL NECESSARY RULES
SUSPEND ALL NECESSARY RULES | 127 Yeas, 15 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
house roll 4170 | 2025-06-02
SUSPEND ALL NECESSARY RULES
SUSPEND ALL NECESSARY RULES | 127 Yeas, 15 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
house roll 4169 | 2025-06-02
HCR 172
HCR 172 | 132 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
house roll 4168 | 2025-06-02
SCR 55
SCR 55 | 126 Yeas, 12 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
house roll 4167 | 2025-06-02
HCR 171
HCR 171 | 138 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
house roll 4166 | 2025-06-02
ROLL CALL
ROLL CALL | 148 Present, 0 Absent, 2 Absent, Excused
house roll 4165 | 2025-06-01
SB 2024
SB 2024 | 96 Yeas, 35 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
Public statements
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Log In to VoteCampaign Funding
Total Raised
$385,000
Total Spent
$312,000
Cash on Hand
$98,500
Donor Breakdown
Geographic Breakdown
38.0%
52.0%
10.0%
Top Donors
| Name | Type | Amount | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC | PAC | $15,000 | Houston, TX |
| Texas Realtors PAC | PAC | $10,000 | Austin, TX |
| Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC | PAC | $7,500 | Austin, TX |
| William T. Marshall | Individual | $5,000 | Longview, TX |
| East Texas Builders Association PAC | PAC | $5,000 | Longview, TX |
| Texas Farm Bureau AGFUND | PAC | $5,000 | Waco, TX |
Public Sources
Last verified: 2026-04-27
In the News
How East Texas Representatives Voted on the New Property Tax Relief Bill
The Texas House passed HB 1750, a property tax relief measure that could save homeowners thousands. Here's how your representatives voted.
Apr 15, 2026Texas Senate Advances Appraisal Cap Tightening to 3.5% as Property Tax Debate Heats Up
The Senate passed SB 780, lowering the annual property appraisal cap from 10% to 3.5% for all properties. The bill goes further than the House version and sets up a conference committee fight.
Apr 12, 2026School Voucher Bill Clears Texas Senate Over Rural Opposition
SB 412, Governor Abbott's latest school choice push, passed the Texas Senate 18-13. East Texas legislators are split as rural districts warn of devastating funding losses.
Apr 10, 2026Oil and Gas PAC Spending Surges in East Texas Legislative Races
Campaign finance filings reveal that energy industry PACs have dramatically increased contributions to East Texas state legislators ahead of key votes on pipeline permitting and eminent domain reform.
Apr 9, 2026Watchdog Report: Most East Texas Legislators Score Below Average on Government Transparency Index
A new transparency scorecard from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas gives low marks to several East Texas state legislators for their positions on open records and public meeting reforms.
Apr 6, 2026Public Discussion
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