He's held the District 5 seat since 2017, and Trump personally sent him a letter thanking him for his vote and giving him a "Complete and Total Endorsement."
Cole Hefner, a Republican from Mount Pleasant, has represented East Texas's District 5 (Camp, Rains, Titus, Upshur, Wood, and part of Smith counties) since 2017 and is now seeking a sixth term. He wrote the state law that made illegal voting a felony again and backed the 2025 private-school voucher program, and this cycle he's campaigning on property taxes and water rights.
Hefner’s take on Texas values
Hefner authored the law that made illegal voting a second-degree felony (up to 20 years in prison), part of the state's crackdown on alleged voter fraud, putting him against the statement that these efforts are overreach. [KUT/Texas Standard]