Judith Zaffirini

{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Judith Zaffirini | image = Judith Zaffirini 2009 CROPPED.jpg | caption = Zaffirini in 2009 | state_senate = Texas | district = [[Texas Senate, District 21|21st]] | term_start = January 13, 1987 | term_end = | predecessor = John Traeger | successor = | birth_name = Judith Pappas | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|2|13}} | birth_place = [[Laredo, Texas]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = Carlos Zaffirini | children = 1 | education = {{ubl |[[Laredo College]] |[[University of Houston]] |[[University of Texas, Austin]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])}} | website = {{url|judithzaffirini.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Judith Pappas Zaffirini''' (born February 13, 1946) is an American politician serving as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] member of the [[Texas State Senate]] from the [[Texas Senate, District 21|21st District]], which includes her home city of [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]] in south [[Texas]]. Zaffirini is the first female dean of the Texas Senate.<ref name='aasjan2024'>{{cite news |last=Gore |first=Hogan |date=January 8, 2024 |title=The Texas Senate has its first female dean. What Sen. Judith Zaffirini hopes to accomplish |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-texas-senate-has-its-first-female-dean-what-sen-judith-zaffirini-hopes-to-accomplish/ar-AA1mDX4L |newspaper=Austin American-Statesman |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref> Zaffirini has been named among the "Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States" by ''Hispanic Business'' magazine.<ref>Odie Arambula, "Magazine names Zaffirini influential", ''[[Laredo Morning Times]]'', October 13, 2008, p. 4A</ref> Zaffirini is the first [[Mexican Americans|Mexican American]] woman elected to the Texas Senate.<ref>Vaughn, Reese. "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0DNSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KDYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4713,6748601&dq=ninfa+laurenzo+mexican-american&hl=en Women around Texas share their words of wisdom]." ''[[The Victoria Advocate]]''. August 30, 2002. 10E. Retrieved on February 4, 2012.</ref>

==Background== A graduate of the [[University of Texas at Austin]],<ref>Jason Buch, "Laredoan of the year: Zaffirini recognized as education champion", ''[[Laredo Morning Times]]'', January 1, 2009, p. 1</ref> Zaffirini studied two summers at [[Laredo Community College]] (then Laredo Junior College).<ref>{{cite news | first = Celina | last = Alvarado | title = State senator given college's first-ever 'Beacon Award' | work = [[Laredo Morning Times]] | date = 2007-12-18 | pages = 1, 13A }}</ref> In 1977, Zaffirini became an associate of the [[Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press]] (WIFP).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wifp.org/who-we-are/associates/|title=Associates {{!}} The Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press|website=www.wifp.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-21}}</ref> WIFP is an American nonprofit publishing organization. The organization works to increase communication between women and connect the public with forms of women-based media.

==Elections== In 1994, she won more than two thirds of the ballots cast in the [[general election]] against the Republican candidate, Fernando G. Cantu Jr. (1944–2016), 71,029 (68.5 percent to 32,624 (31.5%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=495&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=~first=~gender=~last=Bock~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Bennie Bock, II|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|access-date=July 15, 2013}}</ref> In the Democratic primary held on March 4, 2008, Zaffirini was to have faced San Antonio [[Lawyer|attorney]] Rene Barrientos but Barrientos withdrew from the race. His name, however, remained on the ballot, and he did some advertising. Zaffirini won the nomination, 108,572 votes (78.6 percent); Barrientos, 23,262 (21.4 percent).<ref>Democratic primary returns, ''Laredo Morning Times'', March 5, 2008, p. 1</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Aguilar |first=Julian |date=2007-12-28 |title=Bruni becomes Republican in a bid to unseat Zaffirini |page=1A, 13A |work=[[Laredo Morning Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cortez |first=Tricia |date=2008-01-10 |title=Zaffirini foe quits |pages=1, 12A |work=[[Laredo Morning Times]]}}</ref> [[Image:Zaffirini campaign sign IMG 1805.JPG|200px|left|thumb|Zaffirini campaign sign for the [[Texas State Senate]].]] In the 2012 general election, Zaffirini handily defeated the Republican candidate, Grant Elliot Rostig (born c. 1958) of [[Lockhart, Texas|Lockhart]] in [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell County]], a supporter of the [[Ron Paul presidential campaign, 2012]], who was endorsed by the [[Republican Liberty Caucus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grantrostig.com/|title=Grant Rostig for State Senator, District 21|publisher=grantrostig.com|access-date=November 5, 2012}}</ref> Zaffirini received 129,894 votes (67.6 percent) to Rostig's 56,032 (29.2 percent). The remaining 3.2 percent of the vote went to the Libertarian nominee, Joseph Morse.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/nov06_164_state.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205022857/https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/nov06_164_state.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |title=Texas general election returns, November 6, 2012 |publisher=Texas Secretary of State |access-date=November 10, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cortez |first=Tricia |date=2007-12-21 |title=Zaffirini's ready to run for her state senate seat |page=3A |work=[[Laredo Morning Times]]}}</ref>

==Legislative tenure== [[Image:Senator Judith Zaffirini Library at Laredo Community College South IMG 1089.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The Senator Judith Zaffirini Library at [[Laredo Community College]] South Campus in [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], [[Texas]].]]

[[Image:Zaffirini Student Success Center, Laredo, TX IMG 5420.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center at [[Texas A&M International University]] in Laredo was dedicated in September 2012, with [[governor of Texas|Governor]] [[Rick Perry]] and [[Lieutenant Governor of Texas|Lieutenant Governor]] [[David Dewhurst]] in attendance.]] [[Image:Judith Zaffirini Elementary School, Laredo, TX IMG 3430.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The Senator Judith Zaffirini Elementary School is located off [[Texas State Highway 359]] in east Laredo.]]

Zaffirini has a 100 percent voting record, having through 2025 cast more than seventy-five thousand consecutive votes since January 1987. She even once missed her son's graduation to maintain the record.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-05-17/texas-sen-zaffirini-casts-50000th-vote|title=Texas Sen. Zaffirini casts 50,000th vote|newspaper=[[Lubbock Avalanche Journal]]|access-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2025-05-16 |title=Texas senator extends record after casting 75,000 consecutive votes |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-senator-extends-record-after-casting-75000-consecutive-votes/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250518155838/https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-senator-extends-record-after-casting-75000-consecutive-votes/ |archive-date=2025-05-18 |access-date=2025-12-05 |work=KXAN Austin |language=en-US}}</ref>

On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, of which she has been a member since 1987.<ref> {{cite web |url = http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/general/senate/senateaddr.shtml |title = State Senate Candidates for 2002 General Election |access-date = 2006-12-27 |date = 2002-09-13 |author = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080213232650/http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/general/senate/senateaddr.shtml |archive-date = 2008-02-13 }}</ref>

In 2011, Zaffirini voted against the state appropriations bill because it reduced funding for public education by $5.4 billion, including $1.4 billion for targeted programs, such as pre-kindergarten expansion grants, one of her favorite programs. In 2013, Zaffirini will push for the issuance of tuition revenue bonds to fund capital construction projects on state college and university campuses, including TAMIU in Laredo.<ref>"Senator Zaffirini eyes education budget restoration", ''Laredo Morning Times'', pp. 1J, 9J, January 27, 2013</ref>

In 2012, Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst removed Zaffirini from the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Higher Education in favor of [[Kel Seliger]], a Republican from [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]]. Instead Zaffirini chairs the Senate Committee on Government Organization. She will remain a member of the higher education committee under Seliger and will continue as the co-chair of the Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance Excellence and Transparency. Zaffirini said that she will continue to influence higher education policy "but the only difference is that the gavel won't be in my hand."<ref>JJ Velasquez, "Sen. Zaffirini out", ''Laredo Morning Times'', October 5, 2012, pp. 1, 11A</ref>

In July 2013, Zaffirini joined her Democratic colleagues in voting against Republican-sponsored legislation which passed the Senate, 19 to 11, to reduce from twenty-six to twenty weeks of gestation the maximum time limit during which a woman can procure an [[abortion]]. Zaffirini, who is [[anti-abortion]], describes the new law as not anti-abortion, per se, but one that limits a woman's access to health care and fails to address the question of unintended [[pregnancy|pregnancies]].<ref name=abortion>"House Bill 2: Senator Zaffirini explains her position: Reduces women's health care access", ''Laredo Morning Times'', July 14, 2013, pp. 1, 10A</ref> Zaffirini said that she does "not believe that an unborn child can feel pain at twenty weeks. Nevertheless that had nothing to do with my position. ..."<ref name=abortion/> Zaffirini said, "Like it or not abortion is the law of the land, and because it is we must insure that women have access to safe and legal abortions. If they do not, then they will resort to coat hangers and self-aborting and illegal abortions, and that is wrong."<ref name=abortion/> Opponents of the law, such as Senator [[Royce West]] of [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], vowed a court challenge.<ref>"Republicans finally pass new abortion limits", ''Laredo Morning Times'', July 14, 2013, p. 5A</ref>

On March 8, 2017, Zaffirini was the only dissenter in an eight-to-one vote of the Senate State Affairs Committee of the [[bathroom bill]], Senate Bill 6, introduced by her Republican colleague, [[Lois Kolkhorst]] of [[Brenham, Texas|Brenham]] and strongly pushed by Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick (politician)|Dan Patrick]], the Republican presiding officer of the Senate. The bill would require persons to use public restrooms corresponding to their genitalia at birth. Strongly opposed by business and athletic interests, the measure is now pending before the Texas House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/local/texas/state-bureau/2017/03/08/bathroom-bill-clears-first-hurdle-awaits-senate-vote/98899872/ |title=Bathroom bill clears first hurdle, awaits Senate vote|first=John C..|last= Moritz|website=[[San Angelo Standard-Times]]|date=March 8, 2017|access-date=March 9, 2017}}</ref> Opponents of the measure have put their hopes in [[Rockefeller Republican|Moderate Republican]] [[Joe Straus]] of San Antonio, the [[Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives|House Speaker]], who is known to be lukewarm or even hostile toward the measure.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Hopefuls must reject SB 6 on moral grounds", ''[[San Antonio Express-News]]'', March 8, 2017, p. A2.</ref>

In the 2017 legislative session, Zaffirini claimed her greatest numerical success record yet. Of the 168 bills that she introduced, 108 (64 percent) passed. Lawmakers introduced 6,631 bills but sent fewer, 1,211 (18 percent), to the governor than they have done since 1997 in the third year of the administration of Governor [[George W. Bush]].<ref>Andrea Zelinski, "More bills filed, fewer passed: of 6,631 introduced, 1,211 reached Abbott," ''San Antonio Express-News,'' June 3, 2017, p. A3.</ref> According to the Texas Senate, as of 2025, Zaffirini has helped pass over 1,400 bills, the most in state history.<ref name=":0" />

Zaffririni became the first female dean of the Texas Senate on December 30, 2023, when Sen. [[John Whitmire]] resigned.<ref name='aasjan2024'/>

==Civil lawsuits== In July 2013, Zaffirini was twice sued in Bexar County for alleged "gross mismanagement" of an estate valued at $150 million. The sisters, Josefina Alexander Gonzalez (1914–2014) and Delfina E. Alexander (died 2008), together owned about one thousand acres in South Texas. Between 1995 and 2002, five companies were organized to develop the property, but some of the businesses have long been inactive. The sisters further formed the Delfina and Josephina Alexander Family Trust designed to pass the proceeds of the holdings to Gonzalez's daughter, Rocio G. Guerra, and Gonzalez's two grandchildren. The second suit alleges that Zaffirini and two co-defendants, David H. Arredondo and Clarissa N. Chapa, committed tax fraud, forged documents, and paid themselves excessive fees in the amount of $420,000 for management of the Alexander holdings. The defendants are also accused of withholding money from the trust. Zaffirini's attorney-husband, Carlos Zaffirini Sr., said that Guerra and her children, have tried to break the trust on four occasions and that the basic issue centers on squabbling among the heirs over the collection of the money.<ref>Craig Kapitan, "Zaffrini named in suit: Plaintiffs claim gross mismanagement of family trust", ''Laredo Morning Times'', July 20, 2013, pp. 1, 9A</ref> Josefina Alexander Gonzales died in December 2014, five days before her 100th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1478415|title=Josefina Alexander Gonzalez|publisher=joejackfonfuneralchapels.com|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-appeals/1685246.html|title=Judith Zaffirini, David H. Arredondo and Clarissa N. Chapa, as Co–Trustees of the Exempt Trust of Rocio Gonzalez Guerra, Appellants, v. Rocio G. Guerra, Appellee|date=November 26, 2014|publisher=caselaw.findlaw.com|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref>

In August 2016, the longstanding case was resolved without going to trial. Zaffirini delivered $35 million in cash and land to three Alexander family trusts that benefit Rocio Guerra, Zaffirini's second cousin, and Guerra's two children. The three are the sole heirs to the Alexander estate. In return, Zaffirini will take control of nearly 450 acres of undeveloped real estate off Del Mar Boulevard. Zaffirini will continue to serve as an executor and trustee of certain entities of the Alexander estate.<ref>John MacCormack, "Zaffirini's family feud comes to end: Dispute focused on Laredo real estate," ''San Antonio Express-News'', August 7, 2016, pp. 1, 22A</ref>

==Criticism of Donald Trump== On the occasion of Republican presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]]'s visit to Laredo on July 23, 2015, Zaffrini wrote the lead column on the editorial page the next day in the ''[[Laredo Morning Times]]'' to question Trump's commitment to border issues.<ref>Judith Zaffirini, "Trump's visit should be a living lesson:, ''Laredo Morning Times'', July 24, 2015, p. 4A</ref>

==Electoral history== Election history of Zaffirini since 1992.<ref>Uncontested primary elections are not shown.</ref>

===2008=== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas General Election, 2008: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2008 General Election |access-date=2008-11-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 129,608 | percentage = 68.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Louis H. Bruni | votes = 55,363 | percentage = 29.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (United States) | candidate = Barry L. Allison | votes = 4,966 | percentage = 2.6 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 189,937 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] primary, 2008: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2008 Democratic Party Primary Election |access-date=2007-03-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 108,572 | percentage = 78.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Rene Barrientos | votes = 23,262 | percentage = 21.4 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 131,834 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{election box end}}

====2004==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 2004: [[Texas Senate, District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2004 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 127,573 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 127,573 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] primary, 2004: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2004 Democratic Party Primary Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 62,960 | percentage = 78.65 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Raymond Bruni | votes = 17,089 | percentage = 21.35 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 80,049 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{election box end}}

====2002==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 2002: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2002 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 95,644 | percentage = 89.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Jeff Carruthers | votes = 11,688 | percentage = 10.9 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 107,332 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

====2000==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 2000: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=2000 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 106,089 | percentage = 66.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = David Swift | votes = 53,547 | percentage = 33.5 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 159,636 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

====1996==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 1996: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=1996 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 91,956 | percentage = 66.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = James C. Whitworth | votes = 46,698 | percentage = 33.7 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 138,654 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

====1994==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 1994: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=1994 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 71,029 | percentage = 68.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Fernando Cantu Jr. | votes = 32,624 | percentage = 31.5 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 103,653 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

====1992==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Texas general election, 1992: [[Texas Senate, District 21|Senate District 21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=1992 General Election |access-date=2007-01-04 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109062336/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archive-date=2014-01-09 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Judith Zaffirini ([[Incumbent]]) | votes = 111,398 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 111,398 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}}

==See also== {{Portal bar|Biography|Texas|Education|Politics|Hispanic and Latino Americans|Christianity}}

* [[History of the Mexican-Americans in Texas]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://senate.texas.gov/member.php?d=21 Profile] at the [[Texas Senate]] * [https://judithzaffirini.com/ Judith Zaffirini for Texas Senate] * [http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=5465 Project Vote Smart – Senator Judith Zaffirini (TX)] profile * ''Follow the Money'' – Judith Zaffirini ** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=83167 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=64104 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=6476 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=52683 2000] campaign contributions * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080306125408/http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist21/dist21.htm Archived Texas Senate Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaffirini, Judith}} [[Category:1946 births]] [[Category:20th-century American women politicians]] [[Category:20th-century members of the Texas Legislature]] [[Category:21st-century American women politicians]] [[Category:21st-century members of the Texas Legislature]] [[Category:American politicians of Mexican descent]] [[Category:Democratic Party Texas state senators]] [[Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics]] [[Category:Laredo Community College alumni]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Laredo, Texas]] [[Category:Texas A&I University alumni]] [[Category:University of Houston alumni]] [[Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni]] [[Category:Women state legislators in Texas]]