Texas lawmaker pops question to partner on statehouse floor 

A Texas lawmaker got down on one knee and proposed to his longtime partner on the statehouse floor during the first day of the 89th legislative session. 

Texas Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas) popped the question to Gregory Scott Jr. on Tuesday, right before other lawmakers were set to be sworn in, according to a video posted on X by a WFAA reporter, an ABC affiliate. 

Scott said yes. The couple were surrounded by family, friends and colleagues. 

“We just got engaged on the House floor,” Jones said. 

Jones, a second-term lawmaker, represents Texas House District 100, which encompasses parts of South Dallas, West Dallas, East Dallas and Oak Cliff, including other areas. 

“In a time when our love and our very existence are challenged, often in the halls of this very building, this moment is a reminder that love conquers all,” Jones said, according to The Dallas Morning News. “Gregory and I stand as proof that progress is unstoppable, and no amount of hate can erase the truth of who we are.”

Jones, a nonprofit CEO, is the vice chair of the Texas LGBTQ Caucus. 

“Gregory and I are building our family and future together. Our love symbolizes resilience and our story reminds us that love can and will always overcome hate,” Jones added.