He was Texas Solicitor General, then went to work for President Trump's Department of Justice, then was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by Greg Abbott — all before turning 40.
Hawkins was appointed to Place 7 in October 2025, replacing Justice Jeffrey Boyd. He previously argued for states' rights in Medicaid litigation as a Trump DOJ attorney and handled high-stakes appellate cases in private practice. This is his first election.
Judges aren't allowed to take sides on these values — it's against judicial ethics rules. The best clue to how a judge thinks is the party they run with.