Wikipedia

1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

The 1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 6, 1984, 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, apportioned according to the 1980 United States census.[1]

1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas
← 1982 November 6, 1984 1986 →
All 27 Texas seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 22 5
Seats before 21 6
Seats won 17 10
Seat change Decrease 4 Increase 4
Popular vote 2,695,028 1,981,823
Percentage 57.6% 42.3%
Swing Decrease 7.2% Increase 9.5%

Texas underwent mid-decade redistricting due to the District Court case Upham v. Seamon. The U.S. Department of Justice objected to the boundaries of District 15 and District 27 adopted by the Texas Legislature in 1981 under preclearance established by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[2] The court's modified districts were used in 1982, and the Legislature modified other districts in 1983, keeping the court-modified districts in place.[3]

These elections occurred simultaneously with the United States Senate elections of 1984, the United States House elections in other states, the presidential election, and various state and local elections.

Democrats maintained their majority of U.S. House seats from Texas. Still, they lost four seats to the Republicans, who rode the coattails of president Ronald Reagan's re-election.[4] The Republicans in those four seats, as well as two other freshmen Republicans, would later become known as the Texas Six Pack.

Overview

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1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[5]
Party Votes Percentage Seats before Seats after +/–
Democratic 2,695,028 57.58% 21 17 -4
Republican 1,981,823 42.34% 6 10 +4
Independent 3,064 0.07% 0 0 -
Others 470 0.01% 0 0 -
Totals 4,680,385 100.00% 27 27 -

Congressional districts

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District 1

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See also: Texas's 1st congressional district

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

Texas's 1st congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam B. Hall (incumbent) 139,829 100.00
Total votes 139,829 100
Democratic hold

District 2

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See also: Texas's 2nd congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson ran for re-election. He faced four primary opponents but managed to avoid a runoff with 54 percent of the vote.[6]

Texas's 2nd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Wilson (incumbent) 113,225 59.26
Republican Louis Dugas 77,842 40.74
Total votes 191,067 100
Democratic hold

District 3

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See also: Texas's 3rd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Steve Bartlett ran for re-election.

Texas's 3rd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Bartlett (incumbent) 228,819 82.99
Democratic Jim Westbrook 46,890 17.01
Total votes 275,709 100
Republican hold

District 4

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See also: Texas's 4th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Ralph Hall ran for re-election.

Texas's 4th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Hall (incumbent) 120,749 57.96
Republican Thomas Blow 87,553 42.02
Write-in Others 39 0.02
Total votes 208,341 100
Democratic hold

District 5

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See also: Texas's 5th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat John Wiley Bryant ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 5th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Wiley Bryant (incumbent) 94,391 100.00
Total votes 94,391 100
Democratic hold

District 6

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See also: Texas's 6th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Phil Gramm resigned after being removed from his seat on the House Budget Committee by Democratic leadership. He subsequently switched his party affiliation to the Republican Party and ran for his old seat in the ensuing special election.[7] He had been planning to switch parties even before this occurred.[8] Ronald Reagan had won the district in 1980, and Gramm's opponents cast the race as a referendum on Reganomics.[9] Gramm won the race outright, avoiding a runoff and returning to Congress as a Republican.[10][11] He retired at the end of his term to run for U.S. Senator.[12]

Texas's 6th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Barton 131,482 56.60
Democratic Dan Kubiak 100,799 43.40
Total votes 232,281 100
Republican hold

District 7

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See also: Texas's 7th congressional district

Incumbent Republican Bill Archer ran for re-election.

Texas's 7th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Archer (incumbent) 213,480 86.67
Democratic Billy Willibey 32,315 13.33
Total votes 246,315 100
Republican hold

District 8

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See also: Texas's 8th congressional district

Incumbent Republican Jack Fields ran for re-election.

Texas's 8th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jack Fields (incumbent) 113,031 64.55
Democratic Dan Buford 62,072 35.45
Total votes 175,103 100
Republican hold

District 9

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See also: Texas's 9th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jack Brooks ran for re-election.

Texas's 9th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Brooks (incumbent) 120,559 58.85
Republican Jim Mahan 84,306 41.15
Total votes 204,865 100
Democratic hold

District 10

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See also: Texas's 10th congressional district

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

Texas's 10th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. J. Pickle (incumbent) 186,447 99.82
Write-in Others 338 0.18
Total votes 186,785 100
Democratic hold

District 11

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See also: Texas's 11th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Marvin Leath ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 11th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marvin Leath (incumbent) 112,940 100.00
Total votes 112,940 100
Democratic hold

District 12

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See also: Texas's 12th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jim Wright ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 12th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Wright (incumbent) 106,229 100.00
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 106,302 100
Democratic hold

District 13

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See also: Texas's 13th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jack Hightower ran for re-election.

Texas's 13th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Beau Boulter 107,600 53.01
Democratic Jack Hightower (incumbent) 95,367 46.99
Total votes 202,967 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 14

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See also: Texas's 14th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Bill Patman ran for re-election.

Texas's 14th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mac Sweeney 104,181 51.30
Democratic Bill Patman (incumbent) 98,885 48.70
Total votes 203,066 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 15

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See also: Texas's 15th congressional district

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

Texas's 15th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kika de la Garza (incumbent) 104,863 100.00
Total votes 104,863 100
Democratic hold

District 16

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See also: Texas's 16th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Ronald D. Coleman ran for re-election.

Texas's 16th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ronald D. Coleman (incumbent) 76,375 57.44
Republican Jack Hammond 56,589 42.56
Total votes 132,964 100
Democratic hold

District 17

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See also: Texas's 17th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Charles Stenholm ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 17th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles Stenholm (incumbent) 143,012 100.00
Total votes 143,012 100
Democratic hold

District 18

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See also: Texas's 18th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Mickey Leland ran for re-election.

Texas's 18th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mickey Leland (incumbent) 109,626 78.81
Republican Glen Beaman 26,400 18.98
Independent Jose Alvarado 3,064 2.20
Write-in Others 20 0.01
Total votes 139,110 100
Democratic hold

District 19

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See also: Texas's 19th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Kent Hance retired to run for U.S. Senator.[13]

Texas's 19th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Combest 102,805 58.13
Democratic Don Richards 74,044 41.87
Total votes 176,849 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 20

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See also: Texas's 20th congressional district

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

Texas's 20th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry B. Gonzalez (incumbent) 100,443 100.00
Total votes 100,443 100
Democratic hold

District 21

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See also: Texas's 21st congressional district

Incumbent Republican Tom Loeffler ran for re-election.

Texas's 21st congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Loeffler (incumbent) 199,909 80.61
Democratic Joe Sullivan 48,039 19.37
Write-in Others 32 0.01
Total votes 247,980 100
Republican hold

District 22

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See also: Texas's 22nd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Ron Paul retired to run for U.S. Senator.[12]

Texas's 22nd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom DeLay 125,225 65.31
Democratic Doug Williams 66,495 34.68
Total votes 191,751 100
Republican hold

District 23

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See also: Texas's 23rd congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Abraham Kazen ran for re-election. He lost in the Democratic Primary to Albert Bustamante.[6] Kazen was one of only three incumbent members of congress to lose a primary in 1984.[14]

Texas's 23rd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Albert Bustamante 95,721 100.00
Total votes 95,721 100
Democratic hold

District 24

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See also: Texas's 24th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Martin Frost ran for re-election.

Texas's 24th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Martin Frost (incumbent) 105,210 59.47
Republican Bob Burk 71,703 40.53
Write-in Others 5 0.00
Total votes 176,918 100
Democratic hold

District 25

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See also: Texas's 25th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Michael A. Andrews ran for re-election.

Texas's 25th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael A. Andrews (incumbent) 113,946 64.04
Republican Jerry Patterson 63,974 35.96
Total votes 177,920 100
Democratic hold

District 26

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See also: Texas's 26th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Tom Vandergriff ran for re-election. Mid-decade redistricting had made this district slightly more favorable to Democrats.[15] The previous iteration of this district, which Vandergriff narrowly won in 1982, would have given Ronald Reagan 67 percent of the vote had it existed in 1980.[16]

Texas's 26th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dick Armey 126,641 51.25
Democratic Tom Vandergriff (incumbent) 120,451 48.75
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 247,094 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 27

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See also: Texas's 27th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Solomon Ortiz ran for re-election.

Texas's 27th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Solomon Ortiz (incumbent) 105,516 63.64
Republican Richard Moore 60,283 36.36
Total votes 165,799 100
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ "Historical Apportionment Data (1910-2020)". Census.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  2. ^ "Upham v. Seamon, 456 U.S. 37 (1982)". Justia Law. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "History". redistricting.capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  4. ^ Texas State Historical Association (1985). "Texas Almanac, 1986-1987". The Portal to Texas History. The Dallas Morning News. p. 646. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  5. ^ 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 Federal Elections 84 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Federal Election Commission. 1985. pp. 105–108.
  6. ^ a b "Veteran Texas congressman defeated". UPI. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Reinhold, Robert; Times, Special To the New York (January 6, 1983). "GRAMM QUITS HOUSE FOR G.O.P. RACE". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  8. ^ Romano, Lois (January 10, 1983). "Phil Gramms' Switch &". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  9. ^ "Special election a test of Reaganomics". UPI. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  10. ^ Rudin, Ken (February 12, 2010). "On This Day In 1983: Phil Gramm (D) Returns To Congress As (R)". NPR. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "Our Campaigns - TX District 6 - Special Election Race - Feb 12, 1983". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Taylor, Paul (May 6, 1984). "Gramm Wins GOP Primary For Senate". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  13. ^ Taylor, Paul (May 7, 1984). "Hance First In Texas Senate Race". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  14. ^ Ap (October 1, 1984). "CAMPAIGN NOTES; Most Incumbents Won In the Primary Contests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  15. ^ Smith, Jack (May 18, 1983). "Economist Mulls Run for Congress". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  16. ^ Smith, Hedrick (October 20, 1982). "Some GOP Candidate in the Sun Belt gamble on President's coattails". The New York Times. pp. B6. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
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