Representative Thomas Gilbert Loeffler - Contact Information

Thomas Gilbert Loeffler (born August 1, 1946) is an American politician, attorney, and Republican former member of the United States House of Representatives from central Texas. He served as a Representative from Texas in the United States Congress from 1979 to 1987, completing four terms in office. A member of the Republican Party, Loeffler contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Loeffler was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, and he attended school in nearby Mason in Mason County. He went on to study at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He continued his education at the University of Texas School of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor. During his time at the University of Texas, he was a member of the football team in 1965–1966, though he did not letter. After law school, he entered private legal practice, but his time in private practice was brief, lasting just one year before he moved into federal service.

In 1971, after that year of private practice, Loeffler was hired by the U.S. Department of Commerce, marking the beginning of his career in national public service. His work there led to a close association with leading Republican figures in Texas and Washington. In 1972, Republican U.S. Senator John Tower of Texas selected Loeffler to serve as his chief counsel, a position that provided him with substantial experience in legislative and regulatory matters. Two years later, in 1974, Loeffler became a deputy in the United States Department of Energy, further broadening his exposure to federal policy, particularly in the emerging and strategically important field of energy.

From 1975 to 1977, Loeffler served as a legislative assistant to President Gerald Ford. In this role, he worked within the White House on legislative affairs during a period marked by post-Watergate reforms and economic challenges, gaining additional insight into the workings of the executive branch and its relationship with Congress. This combination of executive and legislative experience at the federal level positioned him to seek elective office in his home state of Texas.

Loeffler successfully ran for Congress in 1978 from a central Texas district. The seat had been held by Democrat Bob Krueger, who vacated it to make an unsuccessful run for the United States Senate. In the general election, Loeffler faced Democrat Nelson Wolff, who would later become the county judge of Bexar County. In a notable shift from the district’s recent voting history—Krueger had won 71 percent of the vote in 1976—Loeffler won the 1978 election in a landslide, taking 57 percent of the vote. His victory reflected the district’s gradual movement away from its Democratic roots and toward the Republican Party.

Taking office in January 1979, Loeffler served four consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, remaining in Congress until January 1987. During his tenure, he represented a central Texas constituency as a Republican and took part in the legislative debates and policymaking of the late 1970s and 1980s, a period that included the Carter and Reagan administrations, shifting economic policies, and evolving foreign policy challenges. After his initial victory, Loeffler never again faced a contest as close as his first; he was reelected three more times, each by margins exceeding 70 percent of the vote, underscoring his strong political standing in the district. He was also a delegate to all three Republican National Conventions during the 1980s, reflecting his prominence within the party at both the state and national levels.

After four terms in the House, Loeffler chose not to seek reelection in 1986 and instead stepped down to run for governor of Texas. He entered a hard-fought Republican primary that included former Governor Bill Clements and former U.S. Representative Kent Hance, who had earlier defeated George W. Bush in a 1978 congressional race in a Lubbock-based district. Loeffler lost the primary to Clements, who went on to win the governorship. Following his congressional career and gubernatorial bid, Loeffler was appointed to the Office of Legislative Affairs as the coordinator for Central American policies, placing him at the center of U.S. legislative-executive coordination on issues involving Central America during a period of significant regional conflict and U.S. engagement.

In 1989, Loeffler returned to his alma mater and became an administrator at the University of Texas, continuing his involvement in public and institutional service. He later moved into the private sector as a lobbyist and government affairs professional. He co-founded the lobbying firm Gray Loeffler LLC, which represented a range of clients, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and became known for its work on federal legislative and regulatory matters. His post-congressional activities also included continued engagement in Republican politics; like Bill Clements, he was active in support of Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, reflecting his ongoing role in national political affairs.

Loeffler’s family life has also intersected with public and professional prominence. He is the father of Cullen Loeffler, who became a long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. Another son, Lance Loeffler, pursued a career in finance and energy, becoming an oil and gas executive with Halliburton. Before joining Halliburton, Lance held senior-level positions in investment banking, working in the energy practice at Deutsche Bank and in the energy and healthcare practices at UBS. Through his legal training, federal service, congressional career, and later work in academia and lobbying, Thomas Gilbert Loeffler has maintained a long-standing presence in American public life and Republican politics.