Michael McCaul Bio
Michael Thomas McCaul Sr. (born January 14, 1962) is an American politician and attorney who has represented Texas’s 10th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2005. A Republican, he chaired the House Committee on Homeland Security during the 113th, 114th, and 115th Congresses before becoming chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the 118th Congress. His district stretches between Austin and Houston, covering a broad swath of central and southeastern Texas. In September 2025, McCaul announced he would not seek re-election in 2026.
Early Life and Background
Michael Thomas McCaul Sr. was born on January 14, 1962, in Dallas, Texas, to James Addington McCaul Jr. and Frances Jane (Lott) McCaul. He grew up in a household with English, Irish, and German ancestry and was raised in the Dallas area, where he attended Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. The values and expectations of his family shaped his early interest in public service, law, and civic life.
McCaul went on to attend Trinity University in San Antonio, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1984. He later returned to Texas for law school, completing a Juris Doctor at St. Mary’s University School of Law three years later. He also completed a Senior Executive Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School, broadening his understanding of government and policy. These academic experiences prepared him for a legal career focused on federal law, counterterrorism, and national security.
Path to US Politics
Before entering elective office, McCaul built a career in the legal field, working as an attorney and federal prosecutor. He served as Chief of Counterterrorism and National Security for the United States Attorney’s Office in Texas, where he handled sensitive cases related to national security threats. He also worked under the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section in Washington, gaining experience in high-profile federal investigations.
In 1999, McCaul took a position as a Deputy Attorney General in the Texas Attorney General’s Office, serving in that role until 2002. His work at the state level, combined with his federal experience, made him a strong candidate for Congress when a new Texas district was drawn in the early 2000s. In 2004, he entered the race for the newly created 10th Congressional District and won a crowded Republican primary, setting the stage for his long career in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Michael McCaul Career
Early Career (2005–2010)
McCaul first won his congressional seat in 2004, taking advantage of a newly drawn 10th District that was considered so heavily Republican that no Democratic candidate even filed to run. He was sworn in and quickly established himself as a freshman lawmaker focused on national security and legal issues. In 2006, he defeated Democratic nominee Ted Ankrum and former Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, earning 55 percent of the vote.
He was re-elected in 2008 against Democratic candidate Larry Joe Doherty and Libertarian candidate Matt Finkel, winning with 54 percent of the vote. These early victories gave him the political momentum to climb the leadership ranks and build a reputation as a serious voice on homeland security matters.
House Homeland Security Leadership (2013–2018)
In 2013, McCaul became chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a position he held through the 113th, 114th, and 115th Congresses. During this period, he championed legislation to strengthen the Department of Homeland Security’s role in preventing and responding to cybersecurity incidents affecting federal agencies and critical infrastructure. In December 2013, he introduced a bill requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to lead federal cybersecurity activities, calling it an important step toward addressing the cyber threat.
While serving as committee chair, McCaul continued to win re-election by wide margins in most cycles. In 2016, he secured a seventh term with 179,221 votes, capturing 57.3 percent of the vote against Democratic nominee Tawana W. Cadien. His tenure as chair allowed him to shape major national security debates in Congress, particularly around terrorism, border security, and cyber defense.
House Foreign Affairs Chair (2023–Present)
McCaul became chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the 118th Congress in 2023, taking on a leading role in shaping United States foreign policy. In this position, he became a vocal advocate for sending advanced weapons, including ATACMS missiles and fighter jets, to Ukraine in its war with Russia. In February 2023, he met with the President of Ukraine in Kyiv and pushed for greater American military aid.
In April 2023, during a meeting with Taiwanese officials, McCaul compared General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping to Adolf Hitler. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded in April 2023 by announcing sanctions against him, accusing him of interfering in China’s internal affairs. In November 2024, he announced he was stepping down as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is a devout Catholic and a noted critic of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
Notable Events and Milestones
McCaul’s closest congressional race came in 2018, when he won an eighth term with 157,166 votes, or 51.1 percent, against Democratic nominee Mike Siegel’s 144,034 votes, a margin of just 4.3 percent. He defeated Siegel again in 2020 for a ninth term. On September 14, 2025, McCaul announced he would not seek re-election in 2026, signaling the end of more than two decades in the House.
Michael McCaul Career Wins
Michael McCaul has won multiple terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, beginning with his first victory in 2004 and continuing through a ninth term in 2020. His strongest performances came in districts rated as heavily Republican, while his closest contest was his 2018 race against Mike Siegel.
Congressional Election Highlights
McCaul’s first congressional win came in 2004 in the newly created 10th District, where no Democratic candidate filed to run. He went on to win re-election in 2006, 2008, and 2010, often securing comfortable margins. His most recent victory was his ninth term in 2020, when he again defeated Mike Siegel.
Other Wins and Achievements
McCaul earned recognition for his work on cybersecurity and homeland security, particularly through his leadership of the House Committee on Homeland Security. He was named to lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the 118th Congress, reflecting his stature on foreign policy issues.
Michael McCaul Family
Family Background and Lineage
Michael McCaul was born to James Addington McCaul Jr. and Frances Jane (Lott) McCaul in Dallas, Texas. He has English, Irish, and German ancestry and was raised in the Dallas area.
Personal Life
McCaul is married to Linda Mays McCaul, the daughter of Clear Channel Communications founder and former chairman Lowry Mays and sister of its former CEO Mark Mays. He and his family live in West Lake Hills, Texas, a wealthy suburb of Austin. In 2011, Roll Call named McCaul one of the wealthiest members of Congress, estimating his net worth at $294 million, a figure that grew largely because of transfers from his wife’s family.