Gerdes previously served as a senior advisor to former Governor Rick Perry during Perry's time as U.S. Secretary of Energy.
First elected to represent District 17 (Bastrop, Burleson, Caldwell, Lee, Milam counties) in 2023, he is now the incumbent seeking reelection.
Gerdes’s take on Texas values
He publicly backed a law which created a taxpayer-funded voucher-style program (education savings accounts) letting families use public money for private school tuition, siphoning funds from public schools. [campaign website; Ballotpedia]