THE TIP OF THE SPEAR FOR THE BIGGEST BATTLES IN TEXAS
BORDER SECURITY – PUBLIC EDUCATION – VETERANS – THE ALAMO – ENERGY – DISASTER RELIEF
The General Land Office is the most important state agency that so many Texans have never heard of. As our state’s first female Land Commissioner, my job is to manage, maximize, and protect the millions of acres of state lands that stretch from our beautiful coast to the Texas Panhandle, and everywhere in between.
About Dawn
Dr. Dawn Buckingham’s family were among the first settlers to Texas nine generations ago, and that tough, independent, pioneer spirit is deeply rooted in her personality.
True to her Texas roots, Dawn’s commitment to service began early, serving as a volunteer firefighter, and attending the Texas A&M Fire School. She is also an avid hunter, outdoorswoman, and steward of the land.
Dawn made history in 2016 as the first Republican elected to the Texas State Senate from Travis County, and the first woman to represent Senate District 24. She later made history again in 2022, winning a statewide election to become our state’s first female Land Commissioner.
Dawn came from humble roots—growing up on a ranch near the Texas coast. However, she has never settled for less than her dreams. Wanting to attend college, but without the money to do so, Dawn lived at home, working two jobs to pay her own way through UT-Austin. With endurance of spirit, she graduated Magna Cum Laude and debt-free.
During college she met the love of her life and husband of 33 years, Ed Buckingham. Dawn and Ed both went on to receive medical degrees from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston before having two children and starting successful medical practices within their specialties.
Dawn Buckingham truly embodies the American Dream. Through hard work, a “never quit” attitude and perseverance, she has risen above her circumstances to become a self-made small business owner, serving others in her profession and as an elected official, and always giving back to her community-elected official, and always giving back to her community.
Dawn describes herself as “the happiest Land Commissioner ever,” as every day she defends our state’s rich history, oil and gas industry, and our national border with Mexico.
As the chief steward to thirteen million acres of state land, Dawn acts as the largest landowner and mineral owner in the state in her capacity as Land Commissioner. The oil and gas revenue generated by mineral rights on these lands fund education and many veteran programs.
In her role as Land Commissioner, she is also vital to Texans recovering from disasters, and to the health of our coast.
Dawn’s greatest love is the Shrine of Liberty, the Alamo. Every day she works tirelessly on a large project to make a visit to the Alamo worthy of the significance of the events that happened there and to ensure the Alamo is standing proudly for years to come so our future generations can know and love our proud history.
Issues
Border Security
Dr. Dawn Buckingham comes from a long line of rowdy women. She is fiercely independent and is known for taking swift action. Every day, Dawn takes bold steps to defend the Texas she loves. In her first run for the Commissioner of the General Land Office, Dawn made restoring law and order to the border a pillar of her campaign. As commissioner, she immediately delivered, making the GLO the tip of the spear for defending our border, our history, and our oil and gas industry.
While the Biden Administration was abdicating its constitutional duty to protect our border, Dawn fought every minute to restore order. It’s no surprise that when DPS called with an urgent need to seize Cartel safe haven islands in the Rio Grande, Dawn answered by declaring these islands to be sovereign Texas territory. This not only made Texas bigger for the first time in hundreds of years, but it allowed DPS to gain complete operational control of these islands, eliminating tranches of weapons and drugs and stopping human trafficking.
When the Facilities Commission reached out about a problematic land owner on the Rio Grande, who was forbidding law enforcement from stepping on her property and blocking the border wall right-of-way, Dawn quickly secured the purchase of the property. In the first day of ownership, Dawn secured the border wall right-of-way, and she personally bulldozed suspected “rape trees” as a demonstration these vile practices will not be tolerated on Texas land.
These actions brought complete operational control to one of the most crime ridden parts of the Border. Once President Trump was elected, Dawn launched the Jocelyn initiative offering any resources at the General Land Office’s disposal to detain and deport criminals illegally on our soil.
Promises made and promises kept!
Public Education
As a mom, wife, and surgeon, Dawn believes the single most important thing we do is educate our children. Her goal is for every child to find their God-given talent, develop that talent through education, and then enjoy the prosperity from that talent. Dawn is honored to have contributed almost $6 BILLION in her tenure to public education, and she will continue to be the indelible momma bear, protecting funding for the school children of Texas.
Veterans
Dawn firmly believes we are the land of the free because of the brave. Every day she is honored to serve Texas Veterans as they have served us. As Land Commissioner, she oversees 10 veteran nursing homes that offer respectful and special care to our veteran residents. She also oversees 5 veteran cemeteries where our veterans have a peaceful and reverent place for their eternal rest. Dawn also chairs the Veteran’s Land Board and has delivered over $1.5 BILLION to veterans purchasing a home or property or renovating a home.
Disaster Relief
Dawn strives to serve those God has tasked her to serve – and to do it well. There are few needs greater than those following a natural disaster. Dawn has put thousands of families back in safe homes and helped thousands of businesses stay afloat during a disaster. She has delivered over $9 BILLION in disaster recovery and an additional $1 BILLION in flood mitigation projects across the state. Of note, prior to the July 4th Hill Country floods, she had initiated the first predictive and integrative study of its kind in the country, and she will continue to bring these life-saving solutions to Texas.
Energy
The general Land office owns 13 million acres, making it the largest land and mineral owner in the state. Dawn works tirelessly to protect Texas’ energy dominance, and she knows energy security is essential for national security. She spent years fighting against federal overreach by Joe Biden, even taking him to court over the inappropriate listing of endangered species and his efforts to halt Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports. Dawn brings visionary transformational leadership to develop solutions regarding produced water and believes we are on the precipice of an energy revolution with the hydrogen, geothermal, and nuclear technologies. Dawn embraces necessary change and technology to maintain our energy independence and is committed to protect the 2.5 million oil and gas jobs that not only power our state, but put food on the table for Texas families and support public education!
The Alamo
As a Daughter of the Republic of Texas and a ninth generation Texan, Dawn’s ancestors served as some of the first settlers, warriors in several battles, and as the British Consulate to the Republic of Texas. Her Texas pride runs deep. She feels blessed to be a part of making a visit to the Alamo worthy of the significance events that transpired there for the first time since the battle. Protecting Texas history and safeguarding it from “revision” and “reimagining” is a critical role for the GLO, which serves as the repository of our state’s precious documents and artifacts. Commissioner Buckingham oversees critical restoration efforts to fortify the Alamo and keep it standing for generations to come.
The new Alamo Visitor Center and Museum will be a world-class facility, celebrating the Battle’s history and centrally honoring the patriots who sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom in 1836. The beloved Cenotaph memorial has been fully restored to its original glory and will never be moved! As the Shrine of Texas Liberty, the Alamo is a shining example of making the ultimate sacrifice for our principles and families. This tradition should continue to inspire us to stand taller and fight harder for the Texas we know and love.
Our nation leads the world culturally and politically, and as Texas goes, so goes the nation. We must remain grounded in our proud history and heritage while we lead the world into the future. Texas must continue to be a shining star and a light in an often dark world.
Join the Team
