Henry Bonilla (born January 2, 1954 in San Antonio, Texas) is a politician from the state of Texas.

Bonilla attended public school in San Antonio and then the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a B.A. degree in journalism. Bonilla was a popular newscaster in San Antonio before entering politics.

In 1992, he won a seat in the House of Representatives as a Republican, representing Texas' 23rd district (map). The 23rd had been a Democratic district since its creation in 1967, but Bonilla charged three-term incumbent Albert Bustamante with neglecting his district's needs. Bonilla won by the largest margin of victory against an incumbent that year. He has compiled a very conservative voting record despite the fact that his district had a slight Democratic lean until 2004.

Largely because redistricting that created the 28th district left a heavily Republican section of San Antonio in the 23rd, Bonilla didn't face a credible challenge until 2002, when former Democratic Secretary of State Henry Cuellar came within 2 points of unseating him. Cuellar was priming for a rematch in 2004, but new redistricting moved most of Cuellar's hometown of Laredo to the 28th district. Bonilla won re-election by a 2-to-1 margin.

Bonilla has announced that he will likely run for the United States Senate seat currently held by Kay Bailey Hutchison in the event that she runs for Governor of Texas.

External links

• Official web site
• Bonilla's campaign site