Prior to serving in Congress, Ted Poe served in the United States Air Force Reserves, taught high school and college classes and earned a law degree from the University of Houston. Soon after graduation, he accepted a position as a prosecutor in Houston, Texas. During his eight years of service with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, he became the chief felony prosecutor and never lost a jury trial. He later became one of the youngest judges ever appointed in Texas and one of the first Republicans elected since Reconstruction. Judge Poe was elected six times over twenty plus years on the bench and heard more than 20,000 of the worst criminal cases.

On the bench, Judge Poe garnered national media attention for his creative sentencing for criminals and hard-nosed approach to enforcing the law. Dubbed by the media as “Poetic Justice” punishments, he ordered thieves to carry signs in front of stores from which they stole; commanded sex offenders to place warning signs on their homes after serving jail time; and directed murderers to place a photo of their victims on the wall of their prison cells reminding them of their crime.

After being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Poe, who also proudly serves on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees, established the bi-partisan Victims’ Rights Caucus to advocate on behalf of victims in our nation’s capital. As co-chair of the VRC, Ted Poe plays a vital role in passing legislation to safeguard our children and to ensure that the needs and issues facing victims of crime are equally represented.

An outspoken advocate in Washington on border security, Congressman Poe travels regularly to the southern border to meet directly with local law enforcement and residents. Combating illegal immigration and supporting law enforcement on the border led to Congressman Poe's push to exonerate wrongfully convicted Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean.

Congressman Poe is recognized nationally for his efforts to secure our borders and establishing a plan for energy independence. He also regularly visits our troops in the War Zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a strong Constitutionalist and stands firmly in the principle of “We the People” not “We the Subjects”