Van Taylor is a dedicated family man, successful businessman, and decorated Marine Officer. Elected in 2010 to the Texas House, Van immediately distinguished himself as a conservative leader. In 2014, he was elected to the Texas Senate with overwhelming local support and backing of a strong coalition of conservative activists and community leaders. As a Marine Officer and paratrooper, Captain Taylor volunteered for duty as a platoon commander with the Marine Corps’ C Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. He deployed to Iraq where he fought with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. Taylor led the first platoon into Iraq for his brigade and led a mission that rescued 31 wounded Marines during the pitched Battle of An Nasiriyah. For his service in Iraq, the Marine Corps awarded Captain Taylor the Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Navy Commendation Medal with “V” for valor. Throughout his tenure in the Texas Legislature, Van consistently fought to limit the size and reach of government, secure our border, rein in spending, lower taxes, protect the Rainy Day Fund, and stop the expansion of Obamacare in Texas. For his commitment to conservative principles, he has earned the “Taxpayer Champion” award from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, the “Courageous Conservative” award from Texas Conservative Coalition, and the “Torch of Freedom” award from the Young Conservatives of Texas. Additionally, he was named a “Top-Rated Conservative” by the Texas Eagle Forum, and earned an A rating from the National Rifle Association. In addition to fighting for conservative solutions, Taylor has also made his mark spearheading legislation to protect victims of domestic violence and to safeguard our children from online sexual predators. He has worked to make it easier for our military to vote while serving overseas, verify the citizenship of every voter in the state, close a loophole preventing healthcare fraud and abuse saving local taxpayers millions, curb the prescription opioid epidemic, stop the proliferation of toll roads, and author sweeping ethics reform including revoking benefits from corrupt politicians. Additionally, Taylor’s Truth in Taxation rule, which forces politicians to state clearly in the first line of any bill if there is an attempt to raise taxes or fees, has been cited by Americans for Tax Reform as a successful blueprint for other states to implement. Van and his wife, Anne, married after his return from Iraq and are the proud parents of three young girls. Van and his family reside in Plano near the land his great-grandfather farmed during the Great Depression.