Matt Schaefer is an American attorney and politician who is currently serving as the District 6 representative in the Texas House of Representatives. A Republican, Schaefer is assigned to the Defense & Veterans' Affairs and Urban Affairs committees. He ran without Democratic opposition in his successful bid for a fourth legislative term in the general election held on November 6, 2018. Schaefer defeated Neal Katz, an independent, 37,056 to 11,929.
In 1999, he worked on staff in Tyler for U.S. Senator Phil Gramm. Upon Gramm's retirement, Schaefer joined the Navy Reserves and attended law school at Texas Tech University. Schaefer subsequently served as counsel to the chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission, state representative Carl Isett, on bills regarding insurance and transportation. Schafer was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in November 2012. In the 2012 primary election, he had successfully challenged incumbent representative Leo Berman. Schaeffer unseated Berman in the Republican primary election held on May 29, 2012. He received 11,138 votes, or 57.7 percent, to Berman's 8,172 votes. Schaefer was unopposed in the November general election.
Political positions
Reproductive health
In 2015, Schaefer put forward Amendment 18 to the Texas Health and Safety Code, attaching it to CSHB 2510. The amendment addressed the legality of terminating a pregnancy when in utero testing yields "a severe and irreversible fetal abnormality" diagnosis. Schaefer's position was one in defense of all life, asserting that the disabled deserve the same protection inside the womb that they receive once born. Representative Spitzer, a doctor, argued for the amendment, saying, "We want them to be able to have that child and have that grieving process." Representative Sheffield, also a doctor, disagreed, saying, "s a doctor—for my patients it is unethical for we doctors to impose upon them a set of guidelines that forces them in one direction or another, taking away their rights." Schaefer's amendment passed with a solid majority, but Democrats halted passage of the whole bill using a technical objection. When the bill returned to the House floor weeks later, it had been re-written to such a degree that Schaefer's amendment would no longer be "germane," or topically relevant to the bill and was not able to be attached. In 2013, Schaefer voted for Texas Senate Bill 5, which required doctors who provide abortion services to be registered at hospitals within 30 miles of their office.
Gun control
In 2019, following two mass shootings in Texas, Schaefer tweeted his vehement opposition to increasing restrictions such as universal background checks, bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazine purchases, and mandatory gun buybacks. Instead, he advocates for prayer and discipline in the home, as well as the right to carry for law-abiding single mothers. This was tweeted a day after mass shootings occurred in the Midland-Odessa area of Texas with 7 fatalities, including one law enforcement officer; and, one day before new Texas laws went into effect to "ease restrictions on guns, including allowing firearms in public places like schools and churches, on rented and leased property and during disasters."
2014 election
Schaefer won renomination to a second term to the District 6 House seat in the Republican primary, held March 4, 2014. He defeated Tyler businessman Skip M. Ogle, 9,888, or 61.1%, to 6,304, or 38.3%.
Legislative ratings
In 2015, Schaefer was given a rating of 100% by Texas Right to Life. Conversely, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas gave Schaefer a score of 0% in 2013. Empower Texans gave a score of 100% three legislative sessions in a row. Additionally, in 2015 both the Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Eagle Forum gave a score of 95% to Schaefer. With regards to sexual orientation/gender identity, Equality Texas gave him a score of 14%.
