Texas Legislature elections, 2008
Encyclopedia
2008 elections for the Texas Legislature were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, in the U.S.
state of Texas
. The Texas Legislature election was conducted concurrently with the election for the 2008 United States presidential race
, the United States Senate seat of Republican John Cornyn
, and the state's 32 congressional representatives.
Successful candidates will serve in the 81st Texas Legislature
, scheduled to convene January 13, 2009 at the Texas State Capitol
in Austin
through June 1, 2009.
and eleven Democrats
. Of the seats up for re-election in 2008, nine are held by Republicans and six by Democrats.
There will be two new members of the Senate. The current senators will not be back:
: Republican and Sunset Advisory Commission chairperson Kim Brimer was held to just under 60% in both of his races for this Fort Worth
-based district which also includes a significant portion of Arlington. The district was won by George W. Bush in 2004 and by Governor Rick Perry in 2002 and 2006, but both have underperformed in all three elections. Democrats have recruited Fort Worth city councilwoman Wendy Davis to run against Brimer, but she is facing a challenge over her eligibility status, citing a Texas law stating that sitting council members cannot run for the Legislature. http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/384925.html
District 11
: Republican Mike Jackson represents a district in the southeast Houston suburbs and part of Galveston County that has consistently voted for Republicans including George W. Bush in 2004, Governor Rick Perry in 2002 and 2006, and Senator John Cornyn in 2002. Jackson has been attacked by the Texas League of Conservation Voters
for his legislation on an environmental bill that prevented municipalities from regulating air standards through an ordinance. http://toxicmike.com/ Democrats have fielded two candidates, NASA engineer/consultant Bryan Hermann and former Galveston
city councilman Joe Jaworski.
District 17
: Republican Kyle Janek
announced he would be resigning from the State Senate effective June 2, 2008 to spend more time with his family, who had moved to Austin
; Janek's official residence in District 17 had been a rental house. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5492179.html Republican candidates in the November 4 special election included Austen H. Furse (born 1960), a former staffer to U.S. President George H.W. Bush and an anti-tax activist; engineer
Kenneth R. Sherman (born 1962), Grant Harjold (born 1963), and former felony
court district judge
Joan Huffman
(born 1956). The Democrats ran two candidates, the best known being Chris Bell
, the former U.S. representative who lost the 2006 gubernatorial general election to Perry. Former Houston Oilers running back and sports broadcaster Spencer Tillman
expressed interest in the Republican race but deferred because he does not reside in District 17. State law mandates that candidates reside in the district for at least one year before taking office. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5492179.html Ultimately, Bell and Huffman, as the two top votegetters, met in a special election runoff held on December 16. Huffman prevailed, 56-44 percent, to hold the seat for the GOP
. The district stretches from the Bellaire
area, which includes West University Place
and Houston's Meyerland
neighborhood, to several affluent and coastal suburban areas such as the Greater Katy
area, western portions of the Addicks/Park Ten
area, Sugar Land
, Lake Jackson
and Galveston Island
, stretching all the way to Port Arthur
. The district favors Republicans (George W. Bush
won 58 percent of the vote here), with Republicans favored in the Katy, Lake Jackson and Sugar Land portions, Democrats usually prevail in Galveston
and Port Arthur
. The Bellaire portion of the district is considered a swing area.
District 21
: Democrat Judith Zaffirini
easily prevailed in her historically Democratic state Senate seat based in Laredo
. The seat was once held by her mentor, Wayne Connally
, a younger brother of John Connally
, from 1967-1973. Republicans fielded former Webb County
administrative judge Louis Henry Bruni (born 1949), who switched parties in December 2007 to run against Zaffirini. The district voted for George W. Bush in 2004 and Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2006, but voted for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell in 2006.
is currently controlled by 79 Republicans and 71 Democrats. Democrats will need to win four seats to split the chamber and five to take control of the House, provided that no Republican gains are made. An air of controversy has stirred over the House races due to the controversial speakership of Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick
.
There will be at least seventeen new members of the House of Representatives. These current representatives will not be back:
The candidates in Districts 77, 119, 140, and 146 (all Democrats who defeated incumbents in the primary election, except for District 119 where the incumbent resigned from office) are unopposed in the general election. None of the Republican candidates who defeated incumbents are running unopposed.
|}
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of 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...
. The Texas Legislature election was conducted concurrently with the election for the 2008 United States presidential race
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, the United States Senate seat of Republican John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
, and the state's 32 congressional representatives.
Successful candidates will serve in the 81st Texas Legislature
Eighty-first Texas Legislature
The 81st Texas Legislature began meeting in regular session on 11 January 2009. The regular session adjourned sine die on June 1, 2009.Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, called a special session of the Legislature on July 1, 2009...
, scheduled to convene January 13, 2009 at the Texas State Capitol
Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and is the fourth building to be the house of Texas government in Austin. It houses the chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the governor of Texas. It was designed originally during 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was...
in 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...
through June 1, 2009.
Texas Senate
Fifteen Senate seats will be up for re-election in 2008. The current composition is twenty RepublicansRepublican 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...
and eleven Democrats
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...
. Of the seats up for re-election in 2008, nine are held by Republicans and six by Democrats.
There will be two new members of the Senate. The current senators will not be back:
| District | Outgoing Senator | Party | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Texas Senate, District 10 District 10 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Tarrant county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 10 is Wendy Davis.-2008:-2004:-2002:-2000:... |
Kim Brimer | Republican | Defeated in General Election |
| 17 Texas Senate, District 17 District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special... |
Kyle Janek Kyle Janek Kyle Janek, M.D. ,is a former Republican member of the Texas Senate, having represented District 17 from 2003 until June 2, 2008. The district includes portions of Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Jefferson counties... |
Republican | Resigning June 2, 2008 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5492179.html |
Notable races
District 10Texas Senate, District 10
District 10 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Tarrant county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 10 is Wendy Davis.-2008:-2004:-2002:-2000:...
: Republican and Sunset Advisory Commission chairperson Kim Brimer was held to just under 60% in both of his races for this Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
-based district which also includes a significant portion of Arlington. The district was won by George W. Bush in 2004 and by Governor Rick Perry in 2002 and 2006, but both have underperformed in all three elections. Democrats have recruited Fort Worth city councilwoman Wendy Davis to run against Brimer, but she is facing a challenge over her eligibility status, citing a Texas law stating that sitting council members cannot run for the Legislature. http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/384925.html
District 11
Texas Senate, District 11
District 11 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 11 is Mike Jackson.-2004:-2002:-1998:...
: Republican Mike Jackson represents a district in the southeast Houston suburbs and part of Galveston County that has consistently voted for Republicans including George W. Bush in 2004, Governor Rick Perry in 2002 and 2006, and Senator John Cornyn in 2002. Jackson has been attacked by the Texas League of Conservation Voters
League of Conservation Voters
The League of Conservation Voters is a political advocacy organization founded in 1969 by American environmentalist David Brower in the early years of the environmental movement. LCV's mission is to "advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt...
for his legislation on an environmental bill that prevented municipalities from regulating air standards through an ordinance. http://toxicmike.com/ Democrats have fielded two candidates, NASA engineer/consultant Bryan Hermann and former Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
city councilman Joe Jaworski.
District 17
Texas Senate, District 17
District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special...
: Republican Kyle Janek
Kyle Janek
Kyle Janek, M.D. ,is a former Republican member of the Texas Senate, having represented District 17 from 2003 until June 2, 2008. The district includes portions of Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Jefferson counties...
announced he would be resigning from the State Senate effective June 2, 2008 to spend more time with his family, who had moved to 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...
; Janek's official residence in District 17 had been a rental house. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5492179.html Republican candidates in the November 4 special election included Austen H. Furse (born 1960), a former staffer to U.S. President George H.W. Bush and an anti-tax activist; engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
Kenneth R. Sherman (born 1962), Grant Harjold (born 1963), and former felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
court district judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Joan Huffman
Joan Huffman
Joan J. Huffman is a former felony court judge in Houston, Texas, and an incoming Republican member of the 31-member Texas State Senate from District 17, which includes a portion of populous Harris County. Huffman will also be the sixth currently serving female member of the chamber...
(born 1956). The Democrats ran two candidates, the best known being Chris Bell
Chris Bell (politician)
Robert Christopher "Chris" Bell is a Democratic Party politician. He last served as a one-term congressman in the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 25th congressional district in Houston from 2003 to 2005 before being defeated in the Democratic primary by Justice of the Peace Al...
, the former U.S. representative who lost the 2006 gubernatorial general election to Perry. Former Houston Oilers running back and sports broadcaster Spencer Tillman
Spencer Tillman
Spencer Tillman is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Houston Oilers and San Francisco 49ers.-College Football:...
expressed interest in the Republican race but deferred because he does not reside in District 17. State law mandates that candidates reside in the district for at least one year before taking office. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5492179.html Ultimately, Bell and Huffman, as the two top votegetters, met in a special election runoff held on December 16. Huffman prevailed, 56-44 percent, to hold the seat for the 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...
. The district stretches from the Bellaire
Bellaire, Texas
Bellaire is a city in southwest Harris County, Texas, United States, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place....
area, which includes West University Place
West University Place, Texas
West University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of the city was 14,211...
and Houston's Meyerland
Meyerland, Houston, Texas
Meyerland is a community in southwest Houston, Texas, outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8.A notable feature of Meyerland is Meyerland Plaza, a large outdoor shopping center. Meyerland also is the center of Houston's Jewish community...
neighborhood, to several affluent and coastal suburban areas such as the Greater Katy
Greater Katy
This article is in reference to the area around the City of Katy, Texas. For more information regarding the City itself, please go directly to Katy, Texas....
area, western portions of the Addicks/Park Ten
Addicks, Houston, Texas
Addicks is an area of Houston that was formerly its own community.Addicks, a railroad stop for the Bear Creek community, was named after its original postmaster, Henry Addicks, in 1884. The original town site was located just south of the intersection of Patterson Road and Highway 6. The Addicks...
area, Sugar Land
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
, Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson, Texas
Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614....
and Galveston Island
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
, stretching all the way to Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
. The district favors Republicans (George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won 58 percent of the vote here), with Republicans favored in the Katy, Lake Jackson and Sugar Land portions, Democrats usually prevail in Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
and Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
. The Bellaire portion of the district is considered a swing area.
District 21
Texas Senate, District 21
District 21 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Atascosa, Bee, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Jim Hogg, Karnes, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, San Patricio, Starr, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties and a portion of Bexar county in the U.S. state of Texas...
: Democrat Judith Zaffirini
Judith Zaffirini
Judith Zaffirini is a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate representing the 21st District, which includes her home city of Laredo. On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, where she has served since 1987...
easily prevailed in her historically Democratic state Senate seat based in Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
. The seat was once held by her mentor, Wayne Connally
Wayne Connally
Wayne Wright Connally was a Texas rancher, a Democratic member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and a brother of both former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., an actor and a former county judge.-Early years,...
, a younger brother of John Connally
John Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...
, from 1967-1973. Republicans fielded former Webb County
Webb County, Texas
Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The official 2010 population for the county is 250,304. In 2000, its population was 193,117, and in 2006 its population had been estimated to have reached to 231,470. Its county seat is Laredo...
administrative judge Louis Henry Bruni (born 1949), who switched parties in December 2007 to run against Zaffirini. The district voted for George W. Bush in 2004 and Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2006, but voted for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell in 2006.
House of Representatives
The Texas House of RepresentativesTexas 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...
is currently controlled by 79 Republicans and 71 Democrats. Democrats will need to win four seats to split the chamber and five to take control of the House, provided that no Republican gains are made. An air of controversy has stirred over the House races due to the controversial speakership of Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick
Tom Craddick
Thomas Russell Craddick, known as Tom Craddick , was the first Republican to have served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction. Craddick wielded the Speaker's gavel from 2003-2009...
.
Notable races
District 23: Libertarian Charles Earley is running against Democrat Craig Eiland. As the Libertarian candidate, Charles Earley has opposed the actions of Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and County Judge Yarbrough when they were denying residents access to their homes after Hurricane Ike. According to the Houston Chronicle, Craig Eiland moved to Austin after Ike, even though his home was not flooded. Charles Earley has raised the issue that a representative who is not living in the area cannot effectively represent the residents of District 23.There will be at least seventeen new members of the House of Representatives. These current representatives will not be back:
| District | Representative | Party | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Robby Cook | Democratic | Retiring http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/11/14/1114cook.html |
| 29 | Mike O'Day | Republican | Retiring |
| 43 | Juan Escobar | Democratic | Defeated in primary |
| 52 | Mike Krusee Mike Krusee Michael J. “Mike” Krusee is the departing Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 52, based about Round Rock in Williamson County... |
Republican | Retiring http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2007/11/27/rep_mike_krusee_to_retire.html |
| 55 | Dianne White Delisi | Republican | Retiring http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=18895 |
| 73 | Nathan Macias | Republican | Defeated in primary |
| 77 | Paul Moreno Paul Moreno Paul C. Moreno was a Democratic state representative from El Paso, Texas. He was born in 1931 and grew up in “El Segundo Barrio” of El Paso. After high school he served six years in the U.S. Marine Corp and saw combat in the Korean War. He then received his BBA from the University of Texas El Paso... |
Democratic | Defeated in primary |
| 78 | Pat Haggerty | Republican | Defeated in primary |
| 81 | Buddy West Buddy West George E. "Buddy" West was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Odessa, who was known for his staunch support of his hometown University of Texas of the Permian Basin... |
Republican | Defeated in primary runoff; Deceased http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5855644.html |
| 101 | Thomas Latham | Republican | Defeated in primary |
| 112 | Fred Hill | Republican | Retiring http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/091907dnmethill.e7803816.html |
| 119 | Robert Puente | Democratic | Resigned from office http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2007/10/17/craddick_ally_r.html |
| 130 | Corbin Van Arsdale | Republican | Defeated in primary |
| 140 | Kevin Bailey Kevin Bailey (Texas politician) Kevin Bailey was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing the 140th District in Houston, Texas from 1991 through 2008. He received $27,000from TED PAC.He was defeated by Armando Walle in the 2008 Democratic Primary.-References:... |
Democratic | Defeated in primary |
| 144 | Robert Talton | Republican | Unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress, District 22 Texas's 22nd congressional district election, 2008 The 2008 election for Texas's 22nd congressional district was held on November 4, 2008 as part of the United States House of Representatives elections for the 111th United States Congress... |
| 145 | Rick Noriega Rick Noriega Richard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn... |
Democratic | Running for U.S. Senate |
| 146 | Borris Miles Borris Miles Borris L. Miles is an insurance broker who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 146 in the Eightieth Texas Legislature. He is currently serving his second term in the 82nd Legislature.... |
Democratic | Defeated in primary |
The candidates in Districts 77, 119, 140, and 146 (all Democrats who defeated incumbents in the primary election, except for District 119 where the incumbent resigned from office) are unopposed in the general election. None of the Republican candidates who defeated incumbents are running unopposed.
House race summary, Districts 1–25
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