1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

The 1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 2, 1982, to elect the members of the state of Texas's delegation to the United States House of Representatives. Texas had twenty-seven seats in the House, up three from the 1970s, apportioned according to the 1980 United States census.[1]

1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

← 1980 November 2, 1982 1984 →

All 27 Texas seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 19 5
Seats won 22 5
Seat change Increase 3 Steady
Popular vote 1,847,045 934,863
Percentage 64.8% 32.8%
Swing Increase 5.7% Decrease 6.7%

Due to the Texas' divided government, considerable challenge was foreseen in the state's decennial redistricting process. The process attracted the attention of many prominent members of the U.S. House.[2] The Texas Legislature failed to adopt new congressional districts during the regular legislative session in 1981 due to conflict between liberal and conservative Texas Democrats. During a special session in 1981, conservative Democrats voted with Republicans on a plan supported by Republican governor Bill Clements. Most contentious during this session was the transfer of African-American voting precincts from District 5 to District 24 in the Dallas area. Though Republicans supported the establishment of the minority opportunity district, it was seen by many Democrats as a tactical political move to increase the Republican lean of the 5th District.[3][4]

The adopted congressional districts were challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice in a District Court in Upham v. Seamon. Under preclearance established by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, they asserted that the boundaries of District 15 and District 27 were racially gerrymandered. The court ruled in favor of the Department of Justice, and it drew its own map, which established two districts in Dallas County where African-Americans made up a substantial proportion of the voting-age population. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, and it remanded the case back to the District Court, but the ruling was made so close to the May primary election that the District Court's maps were allowed to stand for the 1982 elections.[5][6]

These elections occurred simultaneously with the United States Senate elections of 1982, the United States House elections in other states, and various state and local elections.

Although Republicans were expected to gain seats in Texas's congressional delegation,[3] Democrats maintained their majority of seats, winning all three of the new seats Texas gained in the 1980 United States census.[7]

Overview

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1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[8]
Party Votes Percentage Seats before Seats after +/–
Democratic 1,847,045 64.83% 19 22 +3
Republican 934,863 32.81% 5 5 -
Libertarian 57,998 2.04% 0 0 -
Citizens 5,933 0.21% 0 0 -
Independent 3,192 0.11% 0 0 -
Totals 100.00% 24 27 -

Congressional districts

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District 1

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Incumbent Democrat Sam B. Hall ran for re-election.

Texas's 1st congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam B. Hall (incumbent) 100,685 97.48
Libertarian John Traylor 2,598 2.52
Total votes 103,283 100
Democratic hold

District 2

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Incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson ran for re-election.

Texas's 2nd congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Wilson (incumbent) 91,762 94.26
Libertarian Ed Richbourg 5,584 5.74
Total votes 97,346 100
Democratic hold

District 3

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Incumbent Republican James M. Collins retired to run for U.S. Senator.[9]

Texas's 3rd congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Bartlett 99,852 77.09
Democratic Jim McNees 28,223 21.79
Libertarian Jerry Williamson 1,453 1.12
Total votes 129,528 100
Republican hold

District 4

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Incumbent Democrat Ralph Hall ran for re-election.

Texas's 4th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Hall (incumbent) 94,134 73.83
Republican Pete Collumb 32,221 25.27
Libertarian Bruce Iiams 1,141 0.89
Total votes 127,496 100
Democratic hold

District 5

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Incumbent Democrat Jim Mattox retired to run for Attorney General.[10]

Texas's 5th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Wiley Bryant 52,214 64.84
Republican Joe Devany 27,121 33.68
Libertarian Richard Squire 732 0.91
Citizens John Richard Bridges 459 0.57
Write-in Others 4 0.00
Total votes 80,530 100
Democratic hold

District 6

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Incumbent Democrat Phil Gramm ran for re-election.

Texas's 6th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phil Gramm (incumbent) 91,546 94.54
Libertarian Ron Hard 5,288 5.46
Total votes 96,834 100
Democratic hold

District 7

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Incumbent Republican Bill Archer ran for re-election.

Texas's 7th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Archer (incumbent) 108,718 84.99
Democratic Dennis Scoggins 17,866 13.97
Libertarian Bill Ware 1,338 1.05
Total votes 127,922 100
Republican hold

District 8

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Incumbent Republican Jack Fields ran for re-election.

Texas's 8th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jack Fields (incumbent) 50,630 56.75
Democratic Henry Allee 38,041 42.64
Libertarian Mike Angwin 547 0.61
Total votes 89,218 100
Republican hold

District 9

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Incumbent Democrat Jack Brooks ran for re-election.

Texas's 9th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Brooks (incumbent) 78,965 67.55
Republican John Lewis 35,422 30.30
Libertarian Dean Allen 2,510 2.15
Total votes 116,897 100
Democratic hold

District 10

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Incumbent Democrat J. J. Pickle ran for re-election.

Texas's 10th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. J. Pickle (incumbent) 121,030 90.14
Libertarian William Kelsey 8,735 6.51
Citizens Bradley Louis Rockwell 4,511 3.36
Total votes 134,276 100
Democratic hold

District 11

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Incumbent Democrat Marvin Leath ran for re-election.

Texas's 11th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marvin Leath (incumbent) 83,236 96.34
Libertarian Thomas Kilbride 3,136 3.63
Write-in Others 23 0.03
Total votes 86,395 100
Democratic hold

District 12

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Incumbent Democrat Jim Wright ran for re-election.

Texas's 12th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Wright (incumbent) 78,913 68.90
Republican Jim Ryan 34,879 30.45
Libertarian Edward Olson 743 0.65
Total votes 114,535 100
Democratic hold

District 13

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Incumbent Democrat Jack Hightower ran for re-election.

Texas's 13th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Hightower (incumbent) 86,376 63.60
Republican Ron Solver 47,877 35.25
Libertarian Rod Collier 1,567 1.15
Total votes 135,820 100
Democratic hold

District 14

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Incumbent Democrat Bill Patman ran for re-election. Former representative Joseph Wyatt, who retired in 1980,[11] challenged Patman, having switched his party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.[12]

Texas's 14th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Patman (incumbent) 76,851 60.65
Republican Joseph Wyatt 48,942 38.62
Libertarian Glenn Rasmussen 919 0.73
Total votes 126,712 100
Democratic hold

District 15

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Incumbent Democrat Kika de la Garza ran for re-election.

Texas's 15th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kika de la Garza (incumbent) 76,544 95.68
Libertarian Frank Jones 3,458 4.32
Total votes 80,002 100
Democratic hold

District 16

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Incumbent Democrat Richard Crawford White opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[13]

Texas's 16th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ronald D. Coleman 44,024 53.90
Republican Pat Haggerty 36,064 44.16
Libertarian Catherine McDivitt 1,583 1.94
Total votes 81,671 100
Democratic hold

District 17

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Incumbent Democrat Charles Stenholm ran for re-election.

Texas's 17th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles Stenholm (incumbent) 109,359 97.10
Libertarian James Cooley 3,271 2.90
Total votes 112,630 100
Democratic hold

District 18

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Incumbent Democrat Mickey Leland ran for re-election.

Texas's 18th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mickey Leland (incumbent) 68,014 82.61
Republican C. Leon Pickett 12,104 14.70
Libertarian Thomas Bernhardt 2,215 2.69
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 82,335 100
Democratic hold

District 19

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Incumbent Democrat Kent Hance ran for re-election.

Texas's 19th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kent Hance (incumbent) 89,702 81.57
Republican E. L. Hicks 19,062 17.33
Libertarian Mike Read 1,206 1.10
Total votes 109,970 100
Democratic hold

District 20

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Incumbent Democrat Henry B. González ran for re-election.

Texas's 20th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry B. Gonzalez (incumbent) 68,544 91.48
Libertarian Roger Gary 4,163 5.56
Independent Benedict La Rosa 2,213 2.95
Write-in Others 4 0.01
Total votes 74,924 100
Democratic hold

District 21

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Incumbent Republican Tom Loeffler ran for re-election.

Texas's 21st congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Loeffler (incumbent) 106,515 74.55
Democratic Charles Stough 35,112 24.58
Libertarian Jeffrey Brown 1,243 0.87
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 142,872 100
Republican hold

District 22

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Incumbent Republican Ron Paul ran for re-election.

Texas's 22nd congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ron Paul (incumbent) 66,536 98.60
Write-in Nick Benton 943 1.40
Total votes 67,479 100
Republican hold

District 23

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Incumbent Democrat Abraham Kazen ran for re-election.

Texas's 23rd congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Abraham Kazen (incumbent) 51,690 55.27
Republican Jeff Wentworth 41,363 44.23
Libertarian Parker Abell 475 0.51
Total votes 93,528 100
Democratic hold

District 24

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Incumbent Democrat Martin Frost ran for re-election. Under the legislature's initial redistricting plan, this district was slated to become a minority-majority district. Democratic former Dallas city councilwoman Lucy Patterson, an African-American woman, had announced her intention to challenge Frost in the Democratic primary. After the district's boundaries were changed by federal courts to return the district to having a majority-white population, Patterson switched parties and ran in the general election as a Republican.[14]

Texas's 24th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Martin Frost (incumbent) 63,857 72.85
Republican Lucy Patterson 22,798 26.01
Libertarian David Guier 998 1.14
Total votes 87,653 100
Democratic hold

District 25

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District 25 was created as a result of redistricting after the 1980 census. The district was located in southern Harris County.

Texas's 25th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael A. Andrews 63,974 60.40
Republican Mike Faubion 40,112 37.87
Citizens Barbara Coldiron 963 0.91
Libertarian Jeff Calvert 864 0.82
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 105,914 100
Democratic win (new seat)

District 26

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District 26 was created as a result of redistricting after the 1980 census. Both political parties heavily lobbied former Arlington mayor Tom Vandergriff to run for the seat on their respective tickets.[15] Vandergriff eventually chose to run as a Democrat. The district's lines had been drawn to favor Republicans; it would have given Ronald Reagan 67 percent of the vote had it existed in 1980.[16]

Texas's 26th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Vandergriff 69,782 50.12
Republican Jim Bradshaw 69,438 49.88
Total votes 139,220 100
Democratic win (new seat)

District 27

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District 27 was created as a result of redistricting after the 1980 census. The district was located in South Texas and was 53 percent Hispanic while the neighboring 15th District was 80 percent Hispanic in the plan passed by the Texas Legislature. The U.S. Department of Justice successfully argued that this was a racial gerrymander that diluted Hispanic voting power, and a District Court redrew the districts to more equally reflect Hispanic voting strength in the region.[4]

Texas's 27th congressional district, 1982[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Solomon Ortiz 66,604 64.02
Republican Jason Luby 35,209 33.84
Libertarian Steven Roberts 2,231 2.14
Total votes 104,044 100
Democratic win (new seat)

References

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  1. ^ "Historical Apportionment Data (1910-2020)". Census.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  2. ^ "States draw new House districts with slow hand". Christian Science Monitor. July 17, 1981. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Clymer, Adam (July 23, 1981). "Republicans Dividing and Conquering in Redistricting in Texas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Aguilar, Javier (1998). "Congressional Redistricting in Texas: Time for a Change" (PDF). Stetson Law Review. XXVII: 793–797.
  5. ^ "Upham v. Seamon, 456 U.S. 37 (1982)". Justia Law. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "History". redistricting.capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  7. ^ Texas State Historical Association (1983). "Texas Almanac, 1984-1985". The Portal to Texas History. The Dallas Morning News. pp. 570–572. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Ladd, Thomas; Guthrie, Benjamin (May 5, 1983). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1982": 39–41. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ Cullum, Lee (August 1982). "Jim Collins: Never Underestimate Him". D Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "Lawman's Race -In Texas Goes -To Rep. Mattox 6 Dallas, June 5 (UPI)_Texans voted in primary runoffs today to choose Democratic nominees in four statewide races and half a dozen congressional districts". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  11. ^ "Texas Almanac, 1982-1983". The Portal to Texas History. The Dallas Morning News. 1981. p. 491. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  12. ^ Clymer, Adam (October 4, 1982). "Republican Candidates for House Focus on Local Issues". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "US Congress Rep. Richard C. White (D) | TrackBill". trackbill.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  14. ^ Murchison, William; Clements, William (1982). Judicial Politics Gone Wild: A Case Study of Judicial Activism in Texas. Washington Legal Foundation. pp. 2, 10.
  15. ^ Smith, Jack (September 10, 1982). "Democrat says GOP sought him". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  16. ^ Smith, Hedrick (October 20, 1982). "Some GOP Candidate in the Sun Belt gamble on President's coattails". New York Times.