Bill Siebert
Encyclopedia
William Earl Siebert, known as Bill Siebert (born September 22, 1947), is a businessman in San Antonio
, Texas
, who is a Republican
former member of the Texas House of Representatives
from Bexar County
, having served from 1993 to 2001.
Siebert served in the United States Army
and attended Northwest Missouri State University
in Maryville
, Missouri
. He thereafter relocated to San Antonio and founded American Health Insurance Services and Siebert and Associates. He is a registered lobbyist with expertise on insurance, health care, transportation, and telecommunications.
In 1993, Siebert assumed the District 121 House seat when Alan Schoolcraft
vacated the post to run unsuccessfully against Jeff Wentworth
for the Texas State Senate. In the primary on March 10, 1992, Siebert finished second with 2,552 votes (21.6 percent) to Libba Barnes, who led a five-candidate field with 4,322 votes (36.6 percent). Three other candidates, Judy Sisk Millspaugh, Robert X. Johnson, and Davene Jonas, held the remaining 41 percent of the ballots. In the April 14 runoff, Siebert defeated Barnes, 4,877 (58.7 percent) to 3,429 (41.3 percent). Siebert was then unopposed in the 1992 general election
.
In 1996, Siebert was named "National Legislator of the Year" by the National Republican Legislators Association. Though he had been unopposed for the Republican nomination in 1998, Siebert was handily unseated in 2000 in the primary election by Elizabeth Ames Jones
, later a member of the Texas Railroad Commission appointed by Governor
Rick Perry
. Siebert's work as a lobbyist while also serving in the legislature was denounced by the San Antonio Express-News
, which urged voters to "clean house and dump [Siebert], the local GOP
's biggest embarrassment." The 2000 primary results were 8,053 (66.4 percent) for Jones and 4,082 (33.6 percent) for Siebert.
In 2002, Siebert considered running for Texas's 23rd congressional district
seat in the United States House of Representatives
but deferred to the incumbent, Henry Bonilla
, who ran again successfully for Congress in 2002 and 2004. Meanwhile, the District 121 House seat is now held by Joe Straus
of San Antonio, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
.
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, 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...
, who is 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...
former member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from Bexar County
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
, having served from 1993 to 2001.
Siebert served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and attended Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum....
in Maryville
Maryville, Missouri
Maryville is a city in Nodaway County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,581 at the 2000 census. The town, organized on February 14, 1845, was named for Mrs. Mary Graham, wife of Amos Graham, then the county clerk. Mary was the first Caucasian woman to have lived within the boundaries...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He thereafter relocated to San Antonio and founded American Health Insurance Services and Siebert and Associates. He is a registered lobbyist with expertise on insurance, health care, transportation, and telecommunications.
In 1993, Siebert assumed the District 121 House seat when Alan Schoolcraft
Alan Schoolcraft
Alan Lee Schoolcraft is an attorney and Realtor in Universal City, Texas, who is a former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, having represented District 121 in Bexar County from 1981 to 1993...
vacated the post to run unsuccessfully against Jeff Wentworth
Jeff Wentworth
Earl Jeffrey "Jeff" Wentworth is a Republican member of the Texas Senate since 1993. He succeeded Republican Cyndi Taylor Krier , who instead became the Bexar County judge...
for the Texas State Senate. In the primary on March 10, 1992, Siebert finished second with 2,552 votes (21.6 percent) to Libba Barnes, who led a five-candidate field with 4,322 votes (36.6 percent). Three other candidates, Judy Sisk Millspaugh, Robert X. Johnson, and Davene Jonas, held the remaining 41 percent of the ballots. In the April 14 runoff, Siebert defeated Barnes, 4,877 (58.7 percent) to 3,429 (41.3 percent). Siebert was then unopposed in the 1992 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
In 1996, Siebert was named "National Legislator of the Year" by the National Republican Legislators Association. Though he had been unopposed for the Republican nomination in 1998, Siebert was handily unseated in 2000 in the primary election by Elizabeth Ames Jones
Elizabeth Ames Jones
Elizabeth Ames Jones is one of the three members of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body that oversees the oil and natural gas industries in Texas — as opposed to railroads, as its name suggests...
, later a member of the Texas Railroad Commission appointed by Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
. Siebert's work as a lobbyist while also serving in the legislature was denounced by the San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
, which urged voters to "clean house and dump [Siebert], the local GOP
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...
's biggest embarrassment." The 2000 primary results were 8,053 (66.4 percent) for Jones and 4,082 (33.6 percent) for Siebert.
In 2002, Siebert considered running for Texas's 23rd congressional district
Texas's 23rd congressional district
Texas's 23rd congressional district is the 8th largest congressional district in the country not counting at-large districts, stretching across the southwestern portion of Texas. It is a Latino-majority district and its current Representative is Republican Quico Canseco...
seat in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
but deferred to the incumbent, Henry Bonilla
Henry Bonilla
Henry Bonilla is a former congressman who represented Texas's 23rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He was defeated in his bid for re-election by Ciro Davis Rodriguez, a former Democratic member of Congress, in a special election runoff held on December 12, 2006...
, who ran again successfully for Congress in 2002 and 2004. Meanwhile, the District 121 House seat is now held by Joe Straus
Joe Straus
Joseph R. Straus, III, known as Joe Straus , is the current Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He represents District 121, which comprises northeastern Bexar County, including part of San Antonio, Texas, and several surrounding communities...
of San Antonio, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives. The Speaker's main duties are to conduct meetings of the House, appoint committees, and enforce the Rules of the House...
.