Kenny Marchant was born in Bonham, Texas on February 23, 1951. The son of a barber and a stay-at-home mom, Kenny learned early the values of hard work and personal responsibility. Growing up in Carrollton, Texas, Kenny earned his way by working a newspaper route, mowing lawns, and washing dishes in local restaurants. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Southern Nazarene University, Kenny worked to pay his tuition by roofing houses.

After graduating from Southern Nazarene University, Kenny started his own roofing business that soon expanded to include home construction and development. As a small business owner, Kenny was responsible for creating jobs and meeting a regular payroll. This experience helped to make Kenny a natural ally and strong advocate of small business.

Kenny’s commitment to public service led him to run for the Carrollton City Council, where he was elected and served for four years before being elected mayor of Carrollton. After serving two years as mayor of Carrollton, Kenny was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. As a state representative, Kenny earned a reputation as a strong conservative leader and consensus-builder. In the Texas House, Kenny served as Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Investments, where he authored legislation strengthening oversight of credit unions, allowing interstate branch banking, enforcing state laws relating to corporate fraud, securing public investments, and allowing access to home equity. In 1999, Kenny’s colleagues elected him Chair of the House Republican Caucus, a position he held for four years.

During his time in the Texas House, Kenny was named a “Top Ten Legislator” by Texas Monthly, “Legislator of the Year” by the Texas Municipal League, and “Top Pro-Family Legislator of the Year” by the American Family Association for his consistent record of sponsoring and supporting pro-family legislation.

In 2004, Kenny was elected to represent Texas’ 24th Congressional District. As a member of Congress, Kenny has received numerous honors and awards including “Champion of National Security” for his strong record of defending America’s sovereignty, safety, and freedom; “Taxpayer Hero” for his principled stand against earmarks and excessive government spending; “Defender of Economic Freedom” for his consistent record of cutting taxes and reducing the size of government; “Defender of Liberty” for his commitment to conservative principles; and “Guardian of Small Business” for his unwavering support for small business.