Jake Ellzey Bio
John Kevin "Jake" Ellzey Sr., born on January 24, 1970, in Amarillo, Texas, is an American politician and retired United States Navy commander who has served as the U.S. representative for Texas’s 6th congressional district since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he briefly served in the Texas House of Representatives for the 10th district from January to July 2021 before winning a special election to Congress. Before entering public service, Ellzey built a two-decade career as a Navy fighter pilot and later worked as a commercial airline pilot and consultant.
Ellzey represents a North Texas district anchored by communities south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He has aligned himself with mainstream Republican policy priorities, including support for Israel, veterans’ issues, and federal spending restraint, while occasionally breaking with his party on high-profile votes.
Early Life and Background
Ellzey was born in Amarillo, Texas, and raised in Perryton, a small community in the Texas Panhandle. Growing up in a region with deep military traditions, he developed an early interest in service and aviation. The values of duty and discipline that shaped his upbringing later influenced his decision to attend one of the nation’s most demanding military academies.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the United States Naval Academy in 1992, completing a rigorous academic and military program. Following his graduation, Ellzey was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy, beginning a career that would take him around the world and into combat zones.
Path to US Politics
Ellzey spent 20 years in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of commander. During his service, he was deployed nine times and completed combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as a fighter pilot. He also served as a social aide in the White House Office during the Bush administration, an assignment that offered him a close look at the federal government and the political process.
After retiring from the Navy, Ellzey worked as a commercial airline pilot for Southwest Airlines and as a private consultant. From 2012 to 2018, he served as one of five commissioners on the Texas Veterans Commission, advocating for the state’s large veteran population. These experiences in the military, aviation, and public administration laid the groundwork for his eventual run for elected office.
Jake Ellzey Career
Early Career (2018-2020)
Ellzey entered electoral politics in 2018, when he ran for Texas’s 6th congressional district. He won the endorsement of The Dallas Morning News during the Republican primary, signaling appeal beyond the party’s hardline base, but placed second behind Ron Wright, who went on to win the general election. The loss did not deter Ellzey, who continued to build his political network across the district.
Two years later, Ellzey won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 10th district. He was sworn in on January 12, 2021, and used the position to advocate for veterans and conservative policy priorities. His time in the state legislature, however, lasted only seven months before a larger opportunity arose.
Congressional Breakthrough (2021-2022)
After U.S. Representative Ron Wright died in office on February 7, 2021, Ellzey entered the crowded special election to succeed him in Texas’s 6th congressional district. In a 23-candidate nonpartisan blanket primary, Ellzey finished second, just 354 votes ahead of Democrat Jana Sanchez, and advanced to a runoff against Susan Wright, the late congressman’s widow and the endorsed candidate of former President Donald Trump.
On July 27, 2021, Ellzey defeated Susan Wright in the runoff, 53% to 47%, a notable upset that drew national attention. He was sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives on July 30, 2021, and immediately resigned his Texas House seat. In his first full election cycle, he defeated James Buford and Bill Payne in the Republican primary and was re-elected unopposed in the general election, cementing his hold on the district.
Tenure and Re-election (2023-Present)
At the start of the 118th Congress, Ellzey was a vocal supporter of Representative Kevin McCarthy’s bid for the House speakership, voting for him in all 15 rounds of balloting. When McCarthy faced an October 2023 vote to remove him as speaker, Ellzey opposed the motion, which ultimately succeeded 216 to 210. In the subsequent election, he declined to back Jim Jordan, instead voting for Representative Mike Garcia, before ultimately supporting Mike Johnson, who won the speakership on the fourth ballot.
Ellzey won re-election in 2024 with 66.4% of the vote, defeating Democrat John Love III, a former member of the Midland city council. His campaign received support from AIPAC and Pro-Israel America. In June 2024, he joined a bipartisan congressional delegation that visited Tel Aviv, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. In January 2025, he cosponsored a bill recognizing personhood as starting at conception.
Notable Events and Milestones
Ellzey’s signature political moment remains his 2021 special election victory over Susan Wright, an upset that demonstrated crossover appeal in a Republican-leaning district. His 15 votes for Kevin McCarthy during the 2023 speaker contest and his participation in the 2024 bipartisan visit to Israel further defined his early tenure in Congress.
Jake Ellzey Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Ellzey was raised in Perryton, Texas, and his upbringing in the Texas Panhandle shaped his commitment to military service and conservative values. His long career in the Navy and his later work with the Texas Veterans Commission reflect a family tradition of public and military service.
Spouse and Children
Ellzey is married to Shelby Hoebeke Ellzey, and the couple has two children. The family lives near Midlothian, Texas, in the district he represents. Despite the demands of frequent deployments during his Navy career and the travel required by his role in Congress, Ellzey has spoken about the importance of family time in north-central Texas.