John Cornyn

Cornyn was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in San Antonio as the second of three children. His father flew B-17 bombers with the Eighth Air Force during World War II and later worked as a dentist for the United States Air Force. Because of his father's military service, his family lived in various locations during his childhood, including El Paso, Texas, Biloxi, Mississippi, Washington, D.C., and Tachikawa, Japan.

He married Sandy Hansen on November 17, 1979. The couple has two daughters.

Cornyn initially began his undergraduate studies as a biology major with plans to attend medical school, but he later shifted his focus to journalism. During his time in college, he wrote for the university newspaper, The Trinitonian, and graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio in 1973.

He continued his studies in San Antonio, earning a Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1977. Following law school, he joined a local law firm where he specialized in defending medical doctors and attorneys against malpractice claims. In 1995, while serving on the bench, he earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

In 1984, at age 32, Cornyn entered public service after winning election to an open seat on the Bexar County state district court. He served as a district judge for six years before running successfully for the Texas Supreme Court in 1990. He won reelection to the state's highest civil court in 1996.

In 1997, Cornyn launched a campaign for Attorney General of Texas. His victory made him the first Republican elected to that office since the Reconstruction era. He served as the state's chief legal officer until his transition to the federal government.

Cornyn won election to the United States Senate on November 5, 2002, securing more than 55 percent of the vote. He was reelected to successive terms in 2008, 2014, and 2020. During his Senate tenure, his committee assignments have included Finance, Judiciary, Select Intelligence, Foreign Relations, and Budget.

From 2013 to 2019, Cornyn served as Senate Republican Whip, holding the second-highest leadership role within the Senate Republican Conference. In addition to his leadership duties, he co-founded the bipartisan Senate India Caucus to foster bilateral ties and served as Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference Task Force on Hispanic Affairs.