Gene Wu

Gene Wu
Wu in 2017
Minority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2025
Preceded byTrey Martinez Fischer
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 137th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded byScott Hochberg
Personal details
BornEugene Yuanzhi Wu
(1978-03-23) March 23, 1978
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Miya Shay
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
EducationTexas A&M University (BS)
University of Texas at Austin (MPA)
South Texas College of Law (JD)
Signature
WebsiteCampaign website

Eugene Yuanzhi Wu (Chinese: 吳元之; pinyin: Wú Yuánzhī; born March 23, 1978) is an American lawyer and politician who has represented Texas's 137th House of Representatives district in the Texas House of Representatives since 2013.[1][2] A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected minority leader of the Texas House for the 89th Legislature in 2024, succeeding Trey Martinez Fischer.[3][4] Before his election to the legislature, Wu worked as a prosecutor in the Harris County district attorney's office and later as a private-practice attorney in Houston.[5][6]

Early life and education

Wu was born in the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong province, China, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a young child.[7][8] His family first lived in Odessa, Texas, before settling in southwest Houston, including the Sharpstown community area.[9][10]

Wu attended Ed White Elementary School, Fondren Middle School, and St. Thomas' Episcopal School, all in Houston.[1][6] He received a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law Houston.[5][1]

Texas House of Representatives

Wu was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2012 to represent District 137, a diverse, heavily urban district in southwest Houston that includes parts of Sharpstown and Alief.[1][11] He took office on January 8, 2013, succeeding longtime Democratic representative Scott Hochberg, and has been re‑elected in each subsequent cycle.[12][1]

Wu’s legislative work has focused on public education, juvenile justice and criminal justice reform, child welfare, and issues affecting immigrant communities, particularly in Houston’s southwest corridor.[8][13] Commentators have noted his frequent role in debates over immigration enforcement, voting and redistricting legislation, and proposals affecting Asian American and other minority communities in Texas.[3][14]

In the 89th Legislature, Wu serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence and sits on the Appropriations Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Articles I, IV, and V, and select and standing committees related to redistricting and congressional maps.[15][16] In prior sessions he has served on committees including Human Services, Energy Resources, Elections, County Affairs, Juvenile Justice and Family Issues, and Pensions, Investments and Financial Services.[17]

In December 2024 House Democrats chose Wu to lead their caucus for the 89th Legislature, replacing Trey Martinez Fischer as chair.[3][18] As caucus chair, he led a 2025 walkout by House Democrats during a special session on mid‑decade congressional redistricting, denying the chamber a quorum and briefly delaying passage of Republican‑backed maps.[19][20]

Governor Greg Abbott subsequently filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court of Texas seeking Wu’s removal from office, arguing that his absence and the quorum break amounted to abandoning his duties; Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republican officials pursued related legal actions against Democratic members.[21][22] Wu and the other absent Democrats returned to Austin later that month for a subsequent special session, after which new congressional maps were approved and signed into law, prompting further redistricting battles and litigation in Texas and other states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.[23][24]

Committee positions

Source:[25]

Current

  • Appropriations
    • Subcommittee on Articles I, IV, and V
  • Congressional Redistricting, Select
  • Criminal Jurisprudence (Vice Chair)
    • Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice
  • Redistricting

Previous

  • Appropriations
    • Subcommittee on Article II
    • Subcommittee on Article III
    • Subcommittee on State Infrastructure, Resiliency, and Investment (Vice Chair)
  • County Affairs
  • Elections
  • Energy Resources
  • Federal Environmental Regulation, Select
  • Human Services
  • Juvenile Justice and Family Issues
  • Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services
  • Recruitment of Firearms and Ammunition Manufacturers

Electoral history

2024 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 19,286 76.31
Libertarian Lee Sharp 5,988 23.69
Total votes 25,274 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 14,451 76.02
Libertarian Lee Sharp 4,559 23.98
Total votes 19,010 100.0
Democratic hold
2020 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 23,502 81.48
Libertarian Lee Sharp 5,342 18.52
Total votes 28,844 100.0
Democratic hold
2018 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 17,616 88.28
Libertarian Lee Sharp 2,338 11.72
Total votes 19,954 100.0
Democratic hold
2016 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 18,088 66.99
Republican Kendall L. Baker 8,178 30.29
Libertarian Dan Biggs 735 2.72
Total votes 27,001 100.0
Democratic hold
2016 Texas House of Representatives 137th district primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 2,957 64.73
Democratic Edward Pollard 1,611 35.27
Total votes 4,568 100.0
2014 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu (Incumbent) 7,155 57.86
Republican Morad H. Fiki 5,211 42.14
Total votes 12,373 100.0
Democratic hold
2012 Texas House of Representatives 137th district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu 15,832 65.76
Republican M.J. Khan 8,245 34.24
Total votes 24,077 100.0
Democratic hold
2012 Texas House of Representatives 137th district primary runoff election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu 696 61.54
Democratic Jamaal Smith 435 38.46
Total votes 1,131 100.0
2012 Texas House of Representatives 137th district primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Wu 773 43.14
Democratic Jamaal Smith 431 24.05
Democratic Joseph Carlos Madden 391 21.82
Democratic Sarah Winkler 197 10.99
Total votes 1,792 100.0

Personal life

Wu is married to Miya Shay, a television journalist for ABC 13 in Houston, Texas.[26][27] The couple married in 2012 and have two sons.[28][29]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Gene Wu". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  2. ^ "Rep. Wu, Gene - Texas Legislative Reference Library". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Downey, Renzo (December 5, 2024). "Houston Rep. Gene Wu to lead Texas House Democrats through GOP-dominated legislative session". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  4. ^ "Texas House Democrats select Gene Wu as caucus leader". Texas Standard. December 5, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Rep. Wu, Gene – Biography". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Gene Wu's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Zhou, May (July 25, 2014). "Gene Wu: Changing the stereotypes". China Daily USA. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Hendricks, Dylan (June 21, 2018). "Gene Wu Is Ready to Move Beyond Thoughts and Prayers". Houstonia. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  9. ^ "Gene Wu: Changing the stereotypes". China Daily USA. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  10. ^ "Gene Wu oral history interview on Senate Bill 147". Rice University. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  11. ^ "Texas House District 137". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "Rep. Wu, Gene – District 137". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  13. ^ Sandoval, Alejandra (May 10, 2023). "'We Have to Put These People Back in Their Place': Gene Wu Fights Immigration Crackdowns in the Texas Legislature". Texas Observer. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  14. ^ McCullough, Julián (February 15, 2023). "Chinese citizens in Texas are incensed over a proposal to ban them from buying property". NBC News. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  15. ^ "89th Legislature – Information for Rep. Gene Wu". Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  16. ^ "Committees – Rep. Wu, Gene". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  17. ^ "Gene Wu – Texas Legislative Reference Library". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  18. ^ "Texas House Democrats select Gene Wu as caucus leader". Texas Standard. December 5, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  19. ^ Medina, Megan (August 7, 2025). "State Representative Gene Wu Is Leading Texas Democrats' Redistricting Revolt". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  20. ^ Harper, Emily (August 5, 2025). "Greg Abbott files lawsuit to remove House Democratic Caucus chair over redistricting walkout". NBC News. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  21. ^ "Governor Abbott Files Lawsuit Seeking Removal Of Texas Democrat Caucus Chair Representative Wu". Office of the Governor. August 4, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  22. ^ Klibanoff, Eleanor (August 5, 2025). "Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas Supreme Court to expel House Democratic leader who left state". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  23. ^ Ramsey, Ross (August 18, 2025). "Texas House Democrats return to Capitol, ending walkout over redistricting maps". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  24. ^ Baker, Peter (November 3, 2025). "With an Eye on the Midterms, Trump Fuels a Nationwide Scramble for Power". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  25. ^ "Member profile - Texas Legislative Reference Library". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  26. ^ "Miya Shay, Gene Wu". The New York Times. August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  27. ^ "Miya Shay - ABC13 Houston". KTRK-TV. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  28. ^ "ABC 13 reporter announces birth of first child". Houston Chronicle. September 23, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  29. ^ "ABC-13 Reporter Miya Shay's Baby Shower". KTRK-TV. June 19, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
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