About Abel Herrero
On November 2, 2004, Abel Herrero was first elected to serve in the Texas House of Representatives to represent the people of District 34. The district covers Western Nueces County encompassing sections of Corpus Christi and other communities including Robstown, Bishop, Driscoll, Banquete, Agua Dulce and Petronila. With every legislative session, Abel prioritizes the needs of Nueces county residents including increasing accessibility to health services, allocating sufficient funds for public education, bringing higher education back within reach of working families and providing adequate benefits to military servicemembers.
State Representative Herrero is currently seeking his fourth term. Abel currently serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Human Services, and as a member of the House Committee on Redistricting, and House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on General Government. These committee assignments further his ability to work on key issues affecting the constituents of District 34 and our state. Abel also serves as Vice Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.
As a member of the Human Services Committee during the 80th Legislative Session, Abel was named as Chairman of the Integrated Eligibility and TIERS Subcommittee. The committee was charged with investigating the mishandling of health services during the Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) transition of enrollment duties to a private company, as well as, recommending an appropriate course of action that ensures reliable services for qualified recipients in the future. Abel was also very active in restoring accessibility to the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which has allowed for thousands of eligible children to obtain health insurance.
When Rep. Herrero’s brother was called to active duty, he saw first hand the struggles our brave men and women of the armed forces face oversees and the mounted concerns for their families at home. Due to these circumstances, Abel was inspired to author legislation that provides much-needed financial relief to active and injured military servicemembers. He has continued to garner bipartisan support to make this a legislative priority this session.
Before his election to the Texas Legislature, Abel served as a city council member from 1999-2003 for Robstown, Texas. He originally began his path of public service while still a student, as a Congressional Intern in the Office of United States Congressman Martin Frost.
A Robstown native and life-long Texan, Abel has not forgotten his roots and cherishes the values learned as a child growing up in a single-parent home. Through hard work, determination and the support of his mother, he graduated valedictorian of Robstown High School, proud home of the Cotton Pickers. Later, he received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M University in College Station and earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law. Abel is now an attorney with Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams in Corpus Christi, Texas. His practice includes general civil and maritime litigation, employment and labor law.
Abel currently resides in his hometown with his wife Matilda Carrizales Herrero and their four children, Annalisa, Andrea, Abel Jr. and Alexia.