Elected in 2016, State Representative Ernest Bailes represents House District 18. Bailes, a lifelong rancher and agriculturalist, was raised on his family’s dairy and beef cattle operation in East Texas. He grew up in Shepherd and earned his B.S. from Texas A&M University in 2004. He currently serves on the House Committee(s) on Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and Energy Resources.1
Ernest and his wife Courtney have been married for 17 years and have two sons, Cinco and Rigby, who attend Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD, where Courtney is a schoolteacher. Ernest is active in the community and serves on various boards, including the San Jacinto County Fair Association, San Jacinto County Farm Bureau, and the SISD Technology Advisory Committee. The Bailes family are active members of the First Baptist Church in Evergreen, Texas.
