J.M. Lozano, a Kingsville businessman, defeated incumbent Tara Rios Ybarra, D-South Padre, in the Democratic primary and Libertarian Richard Shuey by a wide margin in the general election for House District 43. He’ll be a freshman this session but not a fresh face on the Capitol grounds: Lozano interned for former State Sen. Carlos Truan while studying government at UT. He has also worked for U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Edinburg.

Lozano was raised in Premont, TX, a small rural community in Jim Wells County in south Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, attended St. Mary’s School of Law, and received a Masters Degree in Administration from University of the Incarnate Word.