Texas House of Representatives
While he was a doctoral student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Craddick decided to run for the legislature to succeed the incumbent Republican Frank Kell Cahoon of Midland, who was not seeking a third two-year term. According to Craddick's official biography, even his father, businessman R.F. Craddick (1913–1986), warned him: "Texas is run by Democrats. You can't win." Although this part of Texas had been trending Republican at the national level for some time (for instance, Midland itself has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1948), Democrats continued to hold most local offices well into the 1980s.
He was one of nine Republicans in the chamber at the time of his election, which coincided with Richard Nixon's first presidential win. He lived in a house with 7 democrats when he was elected. As he was trying to park at the Texas State Capitol, Craddick and his parents had to convince a police officer that Craddick was actually going to be a member of the Texas House and therefore could park in the House member's parking lot.
In 1975, Craddick was named chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, the first Republican to have chaired a Texas legislative committee in more than a century. At that time in Texas, a legislator did not need to be in the majority party in order to chair a committee.
In 1989, Craddick authored a measure to urge the US Congress to open oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
In 2009, he was assigned to the Energy Resources and State Affairs committees.
Since 2011, as the longest serving member, Craddick has held the title of "Dean of the House". In January 2019, he achieved 50 years in the Texas House. Since 2021, he has shared the title with Senfronia Thompson, the longest serving female representative.
In March 2011, Craddick collapsed at the State Capitol while speaking about a bill in front of the Transportation Committee. His office later said that he was not seriously injured and it was related to a leg problem that Craddick was healing from.
Beginning in 2011, Craddick tried to get a bill passed banning texting while driving. In 2011, Governor Rick Perry vetoed Craddick's bill, after it made its way through the House and Senate. In 2013, his bill, House Bill 63, passed in the House but died in the Senate. Craddick attributed the bill not passing to Senator Robert Nichols refusing to put the bill up for a vote in the Senate Transportation committee, which he chaired. In March 2015, the Texas House Transportation Committee unanimously passed House Bill 80, authored by Craddick, banning texting while driving. This bill never made it to the full House. On May 17, 2019, the Senate amended Craddick's bill, House Bill 62, with a vote of 23-8, in favor. The House passed Craddick's bill with the Senate amendments, with a vote of 123-17, in favor. On June 6, 2017, House Bill 62 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, effective September 1, 2017.
In 2023, Craddick authored a bill to replace "mental retardation" in Texas Government Codes to "intellectual disability". This was signed into law by Governor Abbott in May 2023.
On July 1, 2025, Craddick announced he would be running in 2026 for his 30th term. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary and is running against Democrat Cathy Broadrick in the general election.
Speaker of the House
On January 11, 2003, after thirty-four years in the House, Craddick became the first Republican Speaker in more than 130 years, since the era of Reconstruction Era. He held the presiding officer's position for six years. During his speakership, the state went from $10 billion dollar budget deficit to $10 billion dollar surplus.
In December 2006, Craddick faced credible challenges to his re-election as Speaker for the Eightieth Texas Legislature: Brian McCall (R-Plano), Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie), and Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), all of whom announced candidacies for the speakership. In early January, McCall withdrew and endorsed Pitts.
Supporters of Pitts pressed for a secret ballot in order to avoid retribution should their efforts fail, while Craddick had maintained all along that he had more than the minimum number of votes needed for re-election. When the secret ballot measure failed, Pitts withdrew, and Craddick was re-elected to a third term as Speaker on January 9, 2007, by a vote of 121-27.
Removal Attempt
Craddick became increasingly unpopular with not only Democrats but those of his own party, and many called for a new Speaker to be elected. In the most extreme case, Craddick's political views and leadership compelled Kirk England (R-Grand Prairie) to change parties and run for re-election as a Democrat in 2008. Chaos erupted in the Texas House of Representatives on May 25, 2007, when Fred Hill, a Republican from Richardson, attempted to raise a question of privilege to remove Craddick from office, but Craddick refused to Recognize him to make the motion. The attempts to oust Craddick continued through the weekend as other Republicans made additional motions, which were also disallowed for a time. Craddick's close allies, such as Representative Phil King of Weatherford, said that the actions against the Speaker were an effort by Democrats to gain control of the legislature before the legislative and congressional redistricting process of 2011. However, then Representative Byron Cook (R-Corsicana) said that the fight was about Craddick having consolidated power with lobbyists and having used campaign contributions to maintain control in the House: "This is about the convergence of money and power and influence," Cook said.
Craddick recessed the legislature for two and a half hours after Representatives attempted to gain recognition to put the question of Craddick's removal to a vote. When Hill asked to vote to remove Mr. Craddick, the Speaker replied: "The Speaker's power of recognition on any matter cannot be appealed." His parliamentarian, Denise Davis disagreed, stating that a question of privilege relating to the removal of a Speaker from office is such a highly privileged one that the Speaker may not refuse recognition. When Craddick shunned her advice, Davis and her assistant, Chris Griesel, resigned. Craddick immediately hired former Representative Terry Keel of Austin to the post as well as former Representative Ron Wilson as Keel's assistant. The new parliamentarians upheld Craddick's decision and the session resumed until 1 a.m. and despite further protests from members of the legislature, Craddick remained in his position as Speaker, and the session was recessed.
In January 2009, Craddick was not reelected as Speaker after nearly the entire Democratic Caucus and a number of Republicans broke ranks to vote for Joe Straus, a two-term moderate Republican from San Antonio. Straus remained speaker for five terms until his retirement from the House in January 2019. The last Texas House Speaker to be removed had also been a Republican, Ira Hobart Evans, who was rejected in 1871 for cooperating with Democrats on an elections bill. Craddick won reelection to his House seat in the general election on November 2, 2010.
Personal life
Craddick married the former Nadine Nayfa on September 9, 1969 in her hometown of Sweetwater in west Texas. She is of Lebanese descent. They have two children, a daughter Christi Craddick, and a son, Thomas Jr., as well as a grandson, Thomas Russell Craddick III. In 1976, Craddick created the Craddick Children's Trust for his two children. In 2013, it was transferred to Quarry, an oil company owned by them. In 2012, when Craddick won his 23rd term in the Texas House, Christi was easily elected as a Republican to the Texas Railroad Commission, the state's oil and gas regulatory body.
Business Interests
Nadine is also on the Board of Directors at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. Tom Craddick is president of Craddick, Inc., a sales representative for Horizon Mud Company and owns Craddick Properties. Craddick Inc. and Craddick Partners Ltd. are ran from his home in Midland. His wife is a Vice President of Craddick, Inc.
Tom and Christi Craddick both have ownership interests in 360 oil and gas leases in the 22 counties across Texas, with a value of over $20 million. Craddick receives royalties of more than $2 million per year for brokering extraction lease sales, which are potential conflicts of interest as he sits on the committee that oversees the state's oil industry. Craddick was elected to the board of directors of Mexco Energy Corporation in March 1998, which brings the number of leases they are involved with to over 600. Craddick introduced a bill that would preserve the interests of holders of overriding royalties such as his own; he has reintroduced it after it was vetoed by Governor Abbott.
Honors
On December 10, 2009, a section of Texas State Highway 349, a "reliever route" was opened, which was named the Nadine and Tom Craddick Highway after Craddick and his wife, who helped to create the highway.
Craddick and his wife have founded several scholarship funds including: The Tom and Nadine Craddick Presidential Scholarship Endowment for the Texas Tech University System, the Nadine and Tom Craddick Distinguished Chair in Medical Science Endowment for The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and the Nadine Craddick Endowment Fund for the Midland Memorial Foundation at Midland Memorial Hospital.
On April 18, 2013, Craddick was inducted into the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum’s “Petroleum Hall of Fame.” for being one of “...those who cherished the freedom to dare, and whose work and service helped build the Permian Basin,” and "...have been refined by the industry over the years in their efforts to grow a business or pass legislation that affects it." His picture is featured in there. On October 15, 2024, Texas Tech University of Health Sciences Center named their Physician Assistant's Program for Nadine and Thomas Craddick.
On January 28, 2025, The Midland International Air and Space Port unveiled a sculpture of Tom and Nadine to honor them.
