Texas state Rep. Venton Jones (D) surprised colleagues, family, and friends on Tuesday when he capped his swearing-in ceremony on the floor of the capital in Austin with a proposal to his longtime partner, Gregory Scott Jr.

Bending down on one knee amid a throng of supporters, Jones revealed a ring and popped the question.

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“Put a ring on it!” shouted one of the couple’s party.

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Scott replied with a resounding, “Yes!” and the chamber erupted in cheers.

The rep said his proposal was part of a commitment to “fight for a world where love is celebrated.”

“Today, I took a renewed oath to serve my community with courage, conviction and love. I made a promise to the person who has stood beside me through every step of this journey,” Jones said in a statement released following the engagement.

“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,” said Jones, 40. “Gregory and I stand as proof that progress is unstoppable, and no amount of hate can erase the truth of who we are.”

The two-term legislator followed U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) in House District 100 representing portions of Dallas. This week, Democratic colleagues elected Jones both House Minority Whip and vice-chair of the Texas LGBTQ Caucus.

Jones, one of the few out gay men to serve in the Texas Legislature, and the first to come out as HIV-positive, made HIV awareness and prevention a centerpiece of his first term. Scott is a human resources executive in the Dallas area.

Jones told colleagues that sharing the couple’s proposal with them was part of his effort to build “a better Texas.”

“Just like I’m working to protect my family, I plan on using my power as the house Democratic caucus whip and vice-chair of the LGBTQ Caucus to protect all Texans,” Jones said.

He added, “Our love symbolizes resilience and our story reminds us that love can and will always overcome hate.”

He called the moment a “deeply personal and historic gesture.”

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