Beau Boulter
Encyclopedia
Eldon Beau Boulter is a Washington, D.C.
-based lobbyist who was a Republican
U.S. representative from Texas
between 1985 and 1989.
Boulter was born in El Paso
, Texas. He graduated from Levelland High School in Levelland
, the seat of Hockley County, near Lubbock
in 1960. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
, and in 1968, he earned his law degree from Baylor Law School
in Waco
. He was thereafter admitted to the bar and practiced law in Amarillo. He was a member of the Amarillo City Commission from 1981-1983.
Boulter lost the Republican primary for he sprawling 13th district, which stretches from Amarillo to Wichita Falls and embraces the Texas Panhandle
, in 1982. He won the nomination in 1984, however, and defeated incumbent Democratic congressman Jack Hightower in the general election. He was largely helped by Ronald Reagan
's massive landslide that year; Reagan won most of the counties in this district by margins of 2-to-1 or more. Although the 13th had become increasingly Republican at the national level, Boulter's win is still regarded as an upset. Boulter was one of six freshmen Republican congressmen elected from Texas in 1984 known as the Texas Six Pack
.
Lloyd Bentsen
.
Some of Boulter's staunchest supporters were dismayed that he would surrender a seemingly "safe" House set for the vagaries of challenging the popular and entrenched Bentsen. After all, Bentsen had already defeated three sitting Republican congressmen from presumably "safe" districts: George Herbert Walker Bush of Houston
in 1970, Alan Steelman
of Dallas in 1976, and James M. Collins
of Dallas in 1982. He'd won the latter two races fairly handily, taking over 55 percent of the vote each time. Geography also was against Boulter as well; no one from west of San Antonio has ever represented Texas in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Boulter had difficulty winning the Republican Senate nomination. In the primary, he trailed Houston businessman Wes Gilbreath, a friend of the Bushes. Boulter's 228,676 votes (30.5%) were nearly 50,000 below the 275,080 ballots (36.7%) received by Gilbreath. In the low-turnout runoff, Boulter prevailed with 111,134 ballots (60.2%) to Gilbreath's 73,573 (39.8%). The primary totals were a harbinger that Boulter might be yet another weak Republican candidate trying the impossible task of unseating Bentsen, who despite a generally liberal
voting record in the U.S. Senate was perceived by most voters as "moderate" to "conservative".
Boulter tried to make an issue of Bentsen's use of the "Johnson Law," which allowed the senator to run for vice president while also seeking reelection to the Senate. Boulter took the prolife position in the campaign, whereas Bentsen supported a woman's right to procure an abortion
. Boulter polled 2,129,228 (40 percent) to Bentsen's 3,149,806 (60 percent). Bentsen's raw vote was the highest numerically ever obtained by a statewide Democratic candidate in Texas history. Boulter's weak showing was highly embarrassing for the state GOP. The embarrassment was magnified because the candidate at the top of the Republican ticket, George Herbert Walker Bush, who also had been the first of the four senatorial nominees to lose to Bentsen, carried Texas fairly easily—and in the process, won the 13th in a landslide. Moreover, Boulter's congressional seat went Democratic once again, with the election of then state Senator Bill Sarpalius
.
company in Amarillo and a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
, called Beau Boulter, LLC. Boulter's clients have included the United Seniors Association, an organization associated with the entertainer Art Linkletter
, but with ties to Jack Abramoff
and CapitolWatch, a taxpayers lobby that Boulter chaired in the late 1980s. Boulter and his wife, Rosemary R. Boulter (born 1943), live in Falls Church, Virginia
. They have three children: Rebecca, Matthew, and Elizabeth.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based lobbyist who was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. representative from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
between 1985 and 1989.
Boulter was born in El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, Texas. He graduated from Levelland High School in Levelland
Levelland, Texas
Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,542. It is the county seat of Hockley County. It is located on the Llano Estacado, west of Lubbock. Major industries include cotton farming and petroleum production...
, the seat of Hockley County, near Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
in 1960. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, and in 1968, he earned his law degree from Baylor Law School
Baylor Law School
Founded in 1857, Baylor Law School is the oldest law school in Texas and has been accredited by the American Bar Association since 1931 and a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1938. Baylor Law School is affiliated with Baylor University and located in Waco, Texas...
in Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. He was thereafter admitted to the bar and practiced law in Amarillo. He was a member of the Amarillo City Commission from 1981-1983.
Boulter lost the Republican primary for he sprawling 13th district, which stretches from Amarillo to Wichita Falls and embraces the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
, in 1982. He won the nomination in 1984, however, and defeated incumbent Democratic congressman Jack Hightower in the general election. He was largely helped by Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's massive landslide that year; Reagan won most of the counties in this district by margins of 2-to-1 or more. Although the 13th had become increasingly Republican at the national level, Boulter's win is still regarded as an upset. Boulter was one of six freshmen Republican congressmen elected from Texas in 1984 known as the Texas Six Pack
Texas Six Pack
The Texas Six Pack was a group of six freshmen Republican congressmen from Texas who were elected during the 1984 Ronald Reagan landslide victory over Walter Mondale. With their victories the Texas congressional delegation shifted from a 22-5 Democratic advantage to only 17-10. Several of the six...
.
Running for the Senate, 1988
Boulter was convincingly reelected in 1986, and was thought to be all but invincible in his district. It therefore came a surprise when he announced he would give up his seat after only two terms to challenge three-term Democratic SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. was a four-term United States senator from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate...
.
Some of Boulter's staunchest supporters were dismayed that he would surrender a seemingly "safe" House set for the vagaries of challenging the popular and entrenched Bentsen. After all, Bentsen had already defeated three sitting Republican congressmen from presumably "safe" districts: George Herbert Walker Bush of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
in 1970, Alan Steelman
Alan Steelman
Alan Watson Steelman is a Dallas businessman who was a Republican congressman from Texas between 1973 and 1977; at the time of his election, he was the youngest sitting member of Congress. He gave up his Fifth Congressional District seat to challenge Democratic incumbent Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., in...
of Dallas in 1976, and James M. Collins
James M. Collins
James Mitchell Collins, often known as Jim Collins , was a Republican who represented the Third Congressional District of Texas from 1968-1983. The district was based at the time about Irving in Dallas County....
of Dallas in 1982. He'd won the latter two races fairly handily, taking over 55 percent of the vote each time. Geography also was against Boulter as well; no one from west of San Antonio has ever represented Texas in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Boulter had difficulty winning the Republican Senate nomination. In the primary, he trailed Houston businessman Wes Gilbreath, a friend of the Bushes. Boulter's 228,676 votes (30.5%) were nearly 50,000 below the 275,080 ballots (36.7%) received by Gilbreath. In the low-turnout runoff, Boulter prevailed with 111,134 ballots (60.2%) to Gilbreath's 73,573 (39.8%). The primary totals were a harbinger that Boulter might be yet another weak Republican candidate trying the impossible task of unseating Bentsen, who despite a generally liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
voting record in the U.S. Senate was perceived by most voters as "moderate" to "conservative".
Boulter tried to make an issue of Bentsen's use of the "Johnson Law," which allowed the senator to run for vice president while also seeking reelection to the Senate. Boulter took the prolife position in the campaign, whereas Bentsen supported a woman's right to procure an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Boulter polled 2,129,228 (40 percent) to Bentsen's 3,149,806 (60 percent). Bentsen's raw vote was the highest numerically ever obtained by a statewide Democratic candidate in Texas history. Boulter's weak showing was highly embarrassing for the state GOP. The embarrassment was magnified because the candidate at the top of the Republican ticket, George Herbert Walker Bush, who also had been the first of the four senatorial nominees to lose to Bentsen, carried Texas fairly easily—and in the process, won the 13th in a landslide. Moreover, Boulter's congressional seat went Democratic once again, with the election of then state Senator Bill Sarpalius
Bill Sarpalius
William "Bill" Sarpalius is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented from 1989 to 1995 District 13, which covers the Texas Panhandle eastward to Wichita Falls, Texas....
.
Attempted congressional comeback fails, 1992
Boulter tried to make a comeback in 1992 by running for his old House seat. However, he was handily defeated by Sarpalius, who took 117,892 votes (60 percent) to Boulter's 77,514 (40 percent).Boulter today
Today, Boulter owns a successful real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
company in Amarillo and a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, called Beau Boulter, LLC. Boulter's clients have included the United Seniors Association, an organization associated with the entertainer Art Linkletter
Art Linkletter
Arthur Gordon "Art" Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years...
, but with ties to Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
and CapitolWatch, a taxpayers lobby that Boulter chaired in the late 1980s. Boulter and his wife, Rosemary R. Boulter (born 1943), live in Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. They have three children: Rebecca, Matthew, and Elizabeth.
External links
- http://www.infoplease.com/biography/us/congress/boulter-eldon-beau.html
- http://boulter.com/boulter/people.html
- http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000666
- http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe
- Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections