Kent Caperton
Encyclopedia
Kent Allen Caperton is an attorney and political consultant in Austin
, Texas
, who served from 1981 to 1991 as a Democratic
member of the Texas State Senate from District 5, encompassing twenty-one counties from The Woodlands
, to Crockett
, and Caperton's then city of residence, Bryan
, Texas.
, the seat of Burleson County located west of Bryan. Caperton's older brother, Mark Steglich Caperton (born 1946), is also an attorney and from 1975 to 1983 was the county judge in Caldwell. He was succeeded by their father, Woods Caperton, who retired after nearly three decades with the United States Soil Conservation Service
, since renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the agency which offers technical assistance to farmers and ranchers. Woods Caperton was the county judge from 1983 to 1995 and also a long-time member of the Caldwell school and hospital boards. Kent Caperton has a sister in Austin, Roxanne C. Varner, married to Rodney Varner. A second brother, Clay Jason Caperton, died in 1987.
In 1967, Caperton graduated as student council president from Caldwell High School
. He considering accepting a scholarship in golf from several smaller colleges, but the senior Caperton insisted that Kent attend nearby Texas A&M University
in College Station
. There in 1971, Caperton obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree and was the student body president. Thereafter, he was an aide to the TAMU president prior to obtaining his legal credentials through the University of Texas Law School at Austin. In 1975, he was admitted to the bar and served for a year as an assistant state attorney general. In 1976, he returned to Bryan to enter private practice, with the firm Gandy, Mauro, and Caperton. After a stint too as the municipal judge, Caperton in 1980 unseated veteran state Senator William T. "Bill" Moore
, a conservative Democrat, in the primary election with 52.6 percent of the ballots. Known as the "Bull of the Brazos
," Moore had been in the Senate since 1949, the year of Caperton's birth.
of Crockett, the seat of Houston County
, later a U.S. representative. Turner defeated the Republican
Lou Zaeske
, an engineer from Bryan and the founder of the American Ethnic Coalition, an organization in the forefront of the English-only movement
. Zaeske had initially planned to oppose Caperton who spoke out against English-only.
In 1981, Texas Monthly
magazine named him "Rookie of the Year." In 1982, he was an advocate of utility regulatory reform, an issue which may have helped the Democrat Mark Wells White, the state attorney general at the time, to oust the Republican Governor
Bill Clements
. In 1983, Caperton was a negotiator for House Bill 72, which sought to upgrade public education and required athletes to pass all course. In 1985, in his second Senate term, Caperton headed the newly-created Senate Criminal Justice Committee. In 1987, then Lieutenant Governor
Bill Hobby named Caperton to the Legislative Budget Board. In 1989, Hobby asked Caperton to lead the fight to increase funding for higher education. He soon headed the Senate Finance Committee, the most powerful chairmanship in Austin. He was a conspicuous advocate of sunshine laws, open meetings, and open records In 1989, Caperton was one of five senators to serve as the President Pro Tempore; others included fellow Democrats Craig Anthony Washington
and Hugh Q. Parmer
and Republicans J. E. "Buster" Brown
and Bob McFarland
.
In confirming his retirement from the Senate, Caperton said that he had not grown tired or weary of his legislative duties but was committed to remaining in office only for ten years. Texas Secretary of State George Bayoud
told the Houston Chronicle
that Caperton "is the one person in this state who I think made a difference" in legislative matters . . . "There's something special about Kent." In reviewing his career, Caperton said that he had sought to "hammer out solutions," rather than engage in "political posturing. It's one thing to sit on the side and harangue and pontificate. But it is equally important to bridge a compromise."In his last regular legislative session in 1989, Caperton was rated No. 1 among 181 total legislators in the House and Senate by Texas Monthly
magazine.
In 1990, Caperton reflected that the outgoing state Comptroller
Bob Bullock
, then running successfully to replace Hobby as lieutenant governor, had shown political courage regarding long-range economic problems. Caperton called for a revamped tax system, with a state income tax
, rather than so much reliance on a regressive system of sales taxes and user fees. Legislators have repeatedly, however, resisted calls for a state income tax, and few candidates have endorsed the issue.
from 1965 to 1969 and thereafter from 1969 to 1973 the state's lieutenant governor. Caperton is heavily involved in politics behind-the scenes and is a donor to Democratic candidates,. such as U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu
of Louisiana
and Blanche Lincoln
of Arkansas
. All of Caperton's donations in 2010 and 2011 have been to Democrats, including his former state Senate colleague Lloyd Doggett
of Austin, who is seeking reelection in 2012 in a reconfigured district to the United States House of Representatives
.
Caperton is divorced and has one daughter, Kathryn C. Gabbert, the wife of Jeffrey A. Gabbert, of 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...
, 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 served from 1981 to 1991 as a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Texas State Senate from District 5, encompassing twenty-one counties from The Woodlands
The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
, to Crockett
Crockett, Texas
Crockett is a city in Houston County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,141. It is the county seat of Houston County.- History :...
, and Caperton's then city of residence, Bryan
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
, Texas.
Early years
Caperton was one of four children born to Woods Allen Caperton (1920–2009) and the former Dorothy Steglich (1925–2005) a Lutheran couple in CaldwellCaldwell, Texas
Caldwell is a city in Burleson County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,449 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Burleson County. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area....
, the seat of Burleson County located west of Bryan. Caperton's older brother, Mark Steglich Caperton (born 1946), is also an attorney and from 1975 to 1983 was the county judge in Caldwell. He was succeeded by their father, Woods Caperton, who retired after nearly three decades with the United States Soil Conservation Service
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service , formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service , is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that provides technical assistance to farmers and other private landowners and managers.Its name was changed in 1994 during the Presidency of...
, since renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the agency which offers technical assistance to farmers and ranchers. Woods Caperton was the county judge from 1983 to 1995 and also a long-time member of the Caldwell school and hospital boards. Kent Caperton has a sister in Austin, Roxanne C. Varner, married to Rodney Varner. A second brother, Clay Jason Caperton, died in 1987.
In 1967, Caperton graduated as student council president from Caldwell High School
Caldwell High School (Caldwell, Texas)
Caldwell High School is a secondary school in Caldwell, Texas. According to the Texas Education Agency, Caldwell is a Recognized and Exemplary School.-Athletics:Caldwell High School has won the following state titles:Boys Track 1970...
. He considering accepting a scholarship in golf from several smaller colleges, but the senior Caperton insisted that Kent attend nearby Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
. There in 1971, Caperton obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree and was the student body president. Thereafter, he was an aide to the TAMU president prior to obtaining his legal credentials through the University of Texas Law School at Austin. In 1975, he was admitted to the bar and served for a year as an assistant state attorney general. In 1976, he returned to Bryan to enter private practice, with the firm Gandy, Mauro, and Caperton. After a stint too as the municipal judge, Caperton in 1980 unseated veteran state Senator William T. "Bill" Moore
William T. Moore (Texas politician)
William Tyler Moore, Sr., known as W. T. 'Bill' Moore , was an attorney and businessman in Bryan, Texas, who was a conservative Democratic member of the Texas State Senate from District 5 from 1967 until 1981.Moore originally represented District 14 from 1949 to 1953 and then revised District 11...
, a conservative Democrat, in the primary election with 52.6 percent of the ballots. Known as the "Bull of the Brazos
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
," Moore had been in the Senate since 1949, the year of Caperton's birth.
Senate service
Caperton had said in 1980 that he would serve only ten years in public office, and he therefore did not run again in 1990. The Senate seat went to another Democrat, James W. "Jim" TurnerJim Turner (politician)
James "Jim" Turner , American politician, was the Democratic representative for the Texas 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 until 2005.-Early life, education, and early career:...
of Crockett, the seat of Houston County
Houston County, Texas
Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 23,185. Its county seat is Crockett. Houston County is named for Samuel Houston, a president of the Republic of Texas and Governor of Texas...
, later a U.S. representative. Turner defeated the 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...
Lou Zaeske
Lou Zaeske
Louis W. "Lou" Zaeske, Jr. , was a mechanical engineer and a political activist in Bryan, Texas. In 1988, he founded the interest group, the American Ethnic Coalition, which lobbied for English as the official language of the United States.-Early years:Zaeske was born at Randolph Air Force Base,...
, an engineer from Bryan and the founder of the American Ethnic Coalition, an organization in the forefront of the English-only movement
English-only movement
English-only movement, also known as Official English movement, refers to a political movement for the use only of the English language in official government operations through the establishing of English as the only official language in the United States...
. Zaeske had initially planned to oppose Caperton who spoke out against English-only.
In 1981, Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
magazine named him "Rookie of the Year." In 1982, he was an advocate of utility regulatory reform, an issue which may have helped the Democrat Mark Wells White, the state attorney general at the time, to oust the Republican 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...
Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
. In 1983, Caperton was a negotiator for House Bill 72, which sought to upgrade public education and required athletes to pass all course. In 1985, in his second Senate term, Caperton headed the newly-created Senate Criminal Justice Committee. In 1987, then Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the...
Bill Hobby named Caperton to the Legislative Budget Board. In 1989, Hobby asked Caperton to lead the fight to increase funding for higher education. He soon headed the Senate Finance Committee, the most powerful chairmanship in Austin. He was a conspicuous advocate of sunshine laws, open meetings, and open records In 1989, Caperton was one of five senators to serve as the President Pro Tempore; others included fellow Democrats Craig Anthony Washington
Craig Anthony Washington
Craig Anthony Washington is a former American congressman representing Texas as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives....
and Hugh Q. Parmer
Hugh Parmer
Hugh Q. Parmer is an attorney and Democratic politician in Fort Worth, Texas. He served in both houses of the Texas State Legislature, on the Fort Worth City Council, and as mayor of Fort Worth. In 1990, he was his party's unsuccessful nominee for the U.S...
and Republicans J. E. "Buster" Brown
J. E. "Buster" Brown
James Edward Brown, known as J. E. "Buster" Brown , is an attorney and lobbyist in Austin, Texas, who served from 1981 to 2002 as a Republican member of the Texas State Senate from District 17, based in Brazoria, Fort Bend, and part of Harris counties, south and west of Houston...
and Bob McFarland
Bob McFarland
Millard Robert "Bob" McFarland , is an attorney and lobbyist in Arlington and Austin, Texas, who served from 1983 to 1991 as a Republican member of the Texas State Senate from District 10, then parts of Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties...
.
In confirming his retirement from the Senate, Caperton said that he had not grown tired or weary of his legislative duties but was committed to remaining in office only for ten years. Texas Secretary of State George Bayoud
George Bayoud
George Bayoud is a real estate investor in Dallas, Texas. In that role, he serves on the board of the Beck Group, the Crossroads Group and Fund, and the Bayoud Group...
told the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
that Caperton "is the one person in this state who I think made a difference" in legislative matters . . . "There's something special about Kent." In reviewing his career, Caperton said that he had sought to "hammer out solutions," rather than engage in "political posturing. It's one thing to sit on the side and harangue and pontificate. But it is equally important to bridge a compromise."In his last regular legislative session in 1989, Caperton was rated No. 1 among 181 total legislators in the House and Senate by Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
magazine.
In 1990, Caperton reflected that the outgoing state Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
Bob Bullock
Bob Bullock
Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W...
, then running successfully to replace Hobby as lieutenant governor, had shown political courage regarding long-range economic problems. Caperton called for a revamped tax system, with a state income tax
State income tax
State and local income taxes are imposed in addition to Federal income tax. State income tax is allowed as a deduction in computing Federal income tax, subject to limitations for individuals. Some localities impose an income tax, often based on state income tax calculations. Forty-three states...
, rather than so much reliance on a regressive system of sales taxes and user fees. Legislators have repeatedly, however, resisted calls for a state income tax, and few candidates have endorsed the issue.
Austin lawyer
Caperton is part of the Barnes Group in Austin, a legal and consulting firm founded by Ben Barnes, Speaker of the Texas House of RepresentativesSpeaker 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...
from 1965 to 1969 and thereafter from 1969 to 1973 the state's lieutenant governor. Caperton is heavily involved in politics behind-the scenes and is a donor to Democratic candidates,. such as U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. All of Caperton's donations in 2010 and 2011 have been to Democrats, including his former state Senate colleague Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Alton Doggett II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He previously represented from 1995 to 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
of Austin, who is seeking reelection in 2012 in a reconfigured district to 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...
.
Caperton is divorced and has one daughter, Kathryn C. Gabbert, the wife of Jeffrey A. Gabbert, of Austin.