Rising Lonestars® is committed to finding the very best leaders amongst elected officials at the local government level. Our team tracks local Texas elected officials as they rise. Our efforts are nonpartisan, as we review local government actions throughout the diverse state of Texas. We at Rising Lonestars® are on the lookout for local government leaders who will shape tomorrow’s Texas.
We are in the business of identifying local government leaders who make a difference. To help us better track who the next Rising Lonestars® are, we first have to know who is representing Texans at a local level. We track local elected officials for 35 Texas counties and over 200 of Texas’ largest towns and cities. Our team has created a database with up-to-date information for each of these counties and cities. For each county or city we track, you will find the elected official’s name, precinct/district, contact information, and upcoming election date. Each of these local Texas politicians have been divided into seven regions: West Texas, North Texas, South Texas, Central Texas, East Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Panhandle/South Plains.
Meet Pete
Pete McRae has been involved in Texas politics and government since the 1980s. Originally as a legislative liaison for small farmers, and editor of their monthly newspaper, then as an aide to Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, and later as a Texas Senate staff member. Pete began his local government relations business in the year 2000, and maintains that through today.
Representing a wide variety of clients at the local government level, Pete and our staff monitor local government across the state. Rising Lonestars® is the result of that work.
The Team
Simon Nichols– Executive Editor
A senior at the University of Houston studying World Cultures and Literature and Political Science. After graduation, he will pursue a masters in public policy.
Rifaa Patel– Researcher
A student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Government and Sociology. She has interned at the Texas House of Representatives with a special interest in local government and plans to go to Law School after graduation.
Arshia Malik– Researcher
A senior at the University of Texas studying International Relations and Global Studies. She has interned with the Borgen Project and worked closely with Texas senators. She has a special interest in policy and serves as a Public Policy and Research Associate.
Dianna Starr– Researcher
A recent 2021 graduate from Southwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science Cum Laude. She has interned for the U.S Ukraine Foundation in Washington D.C and worked closely with the Annette Strauss Institute as a Texas Civic Ambassador to establish the Southwestern University Interfaith Worship Center. She has a passion for politics with plans to apply to graduate school in the near future.
Paloma Lopez– Researcher
A University of Texas alumni with an International Relations degree entering graduate school in Fall of 2022. She is interested in continuing her studies in foreign affairs with a concentration in international security in order to be a diplomat.
Paola Celis– Researcher
A junior at The University of Texas at Austin pursuing an honors BSA in Biology and business of Healthcare certificate. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school and continuing her research in the cognitive development of infants.
Husnain Ali– Researcher
A sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin studying Government in the College of Liberal Arts and pursuing a minor in Business with a certificate in Public Policy. He plans to graduate in 2024 and attend law school after, with a special interest in public policy.