Lance Gooden finished his University of Texas government degree at just 19 years old, then went back for a business degree by 22.
Gooden, of Terrell, spent three terms in the Texas House and a decade in the insurance industry before winning Texas's 5th Congressional District seat in 2018. He's now seeking re-election in November 2026 as one of the House's most reliably conservative Republicans.
Gooden’s take on Texas values
He publicly celebrated House passage of the SAVE Act, which requires people to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote, saying it 'cuts out' fraudulent registrations. [Republican Study Committee press release]