After his Swearing-in Ceremony at the Texas Capitol, Senator Craig Estes from Wichita Falls offers his remarks.

The constituents of Senate District 30, the area around Wichita Falls, have a new senator this afternoon. Craig L. Estes took the oath of office at a ceremony hosted by Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff at the Senate Chamber in Austin. Estes replaces Senator Tom Haywood of Wichita Falls who died of a heart attack earlier this year.

Governor Rick Perry administered the oath of office to Estes, and praised his character and willingness to take a stand on matters of conscience, saying: "Craig, I have every confidence of your strong moral stand, your commitment to conservative causes....He's the kind of people we're proud to be around."

In his remarks, Estes said that "I will not take myself too seriously, but I will take the responsibilities of my Senate office very seriously. I will do my best to distinguish between right and wrong, I will act justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly."

"As I've travelled the vast expanse of Senate District 30, I've pledged to fight for affordable health care, equitable education, and improved transportation. I've pledged to protect individual freedoms and expand our economic security."

The 48 year old Estes comes to the Senate directly from the business world. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Estes, Inc., a wholesale distributor of chemicals and fertilizers throughout the Southwest. He and his wife of 23 years, Jennifer, have three children. The family is active in the First Presbyterian Church where Estes serves as an elder.

You can access the archived video webcast of the ceremony from the web page of Senator Craig Estes.

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