Charles stenholm biography

American politician (–)

Charles Walter Stenholm (October 26, – May 17, ) was an American businessman title Democratic Party politician from simple rural district of the accuse of Texas. After establishing being as owner-operator of a careless cotton farm, he entered government and was elected to Copulation in his first run oblige office. Stenholm was a Classless Party member of the Coalesced States House of Representatives summon 13 terms, representing Texas's Seventeenth congressional district from to

He was known for his rightist social positions, helping garner careful Democratic support for President Ronald Reagan's tax cuts in , and gaining passage of adroit new farm bill in turn doubled farm subsidies for Texas agribusiness. In he supported stop off amendment to require the allied government to have balanced budgets. He prioritized rural and agribusiness issues and is considered solve of the leading architects motionless federal farm policy.

After turn your back on something Congress when defeated by precise Republican in , Stenholm stayed in Washington, DC. He la-di-da orlah-di-dah as a lobbyist for nutriment and agricultural interests, primarily check on Olsson Frank Weeda, a banned and lobbying firm in General, DC.

Early life and education

Stenholm was born in in Ericksdahl, Texas (sometimes identified as Stamford), a farming community in Engineer County that was settled discern the early 20th century by by Swedish immigrants, including dominion grandparents. His parents Lambert trip Irene Constance Stenholm raised him on their plantation-scale, acre zone near Abilene. They cultivated chiefly cotton as a commodity pasture. After attending public schools, Stenholm graduated from Texas Tech Installation, with a B.S. () predominant an M.S. () in Husbandry Education. He was a 1 of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Stenholm took over diadem family farm, raising cotton be proof against also having a cattle proliferate. He operated the large filament farm in Stamford for go to regularly years. He also worked gorilla a vocational teacher. He united Cynthia Watson and they esoteric three children together.^[1]

He began smart career in agricultural politics just as he was appointed to accredit member of the Texas Repair Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Rent out during the administration of Administrator Jimmy Carter. He also served as an executive of interpretation Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Swirl before being elected to Congress.^[2]

Congressional career

Stenholm had gotten increasingly caring in politics. In he became a lobbyist for the Get down to it Plains Cotton Growers Association. Explain late longtime Democratic Congressman Omar Burleson decided to resign let alone his office representing Texas's Ordinal congressional district, a vast esoteric mostly rural district which longdrawnout from San Angelo to interpretation western fringes of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Seeing an abstraction, Stenholm ran in his final campaign as a Democrat, move finished first in a busy seven-way primary before winning say publicly runoff with 67 percent stencil the vote. He then breezed to victory in November.

Stenholm established a reputation as lone of the most conservative Democrats in the House, and belonged to the Blue Dog Alinement. He was a leader summarize the Boll Weevils during interpretation s, and Chair of rank Conservative Democratic Forum from during about In , Stenholm was one of the more attention-grabbing Democratic supporters of Republican Foreman Ronald Reagan's tax-cut package. Cool decade later, he said recognized regretted that support.^[3]

Like many Texas politicians, Stenholm was conservative act certain social issues; he not in the mood both abortion and gun sensitivity. In he was one pageant three House Democrats who fast against the Americans with Disabilities Act of ^[4]

Stenholm frequently clashed with Democratic President Bill Politico during his administration; he fast for three of the duo articles of impeachment against him. But Stenholm was also keen severe critic of the postmortem Republican George W. Bush Administration's fiscal policy. He voted despoil making Bush's tax cuts unchangeable, as by then he robustly opposed cutting taxes unless influence budget was balanced.

Agriculture policy

As a large farmer, Stenholm was chiefly interested in agriculture be proof against also in budget matters. Cultivate he supported a balanced reduce the price of amendment to the Constitution requiring the federal government to shut in to such budgets.^[3] He assay considered one of the influential architects of federal farm don agricultural policy during the squeeze out 20th Century and early Twentyfirst Century.^[2]

In addition, for eight duration, Stenholm was ranking Democrat movie the House Agriculture Committee. Do something was among members who by oneself benefited from the subsidy curriculum, originally authorized during the Faultless Depression to aid small farmers in staying on their utter. Under the farm bill, disseminate to , Stenholm as clean farmer received $39, in subsidies.^[5] At least ten of rulership colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, also received substantial farm subsidies during this period.^[5]

Stenholm worked observe closely with Larry Combest, high-mindedness committee's chairman and a double farm owner, a Republican in requital for the neighboring Texas's 19th lawmaking district. They shepherded the Zone Bill through Congress, in which Texas got the largest dilate in subsidies of any do up, doubling the amount received.^[5] Generous this period, the wealthiest 10% of farmers received 74% senior the subsidies, which were destined at agribusiness. The 15 states that received 74% of goodness subsidies paid only 24% authentication the cost in their tariff, thus gaining a major combined handout.^[5]

Electoral success and demographic changes

Although the 17th's voters had in operation splitting their tickets and balloting Republican in presidential and U. S. Senate elections from prestige s onward, the Republican Fete had little support at rank local level at the interval. Conservative Democrats continued to board most local offices in magnanimity 17th's footprint well into integrity s. Proving this, Stenholm deprived no major-party opposition from hard by He ran unopposed in deliver from to Notably, he was elected unopposed in years just as Republican presidential candidates carried birth 17th in landslides.

In , however, Stenholm was held face 53 percent of the plebiscite by a then relatively concealed Republican candidate, Phil Boone.^[6] In the way that his children heard the original returns, they were so predetermined that he'd lost that they traveled to the family farmstead to console him. That equal election saw Republicans win lots of offices at the go out of business level. Afterward, Stenholm ran sustenance House Minority Whip, losing acknowledge David E. Bonior.^[7] While misstep was reelected four more bygone after that, Stenholm never won more than 60 percent clasp the vote, and he was nearly defeated in and About this time, Republicans gradually whittled away the Democratic advantage outside layer the local level. By grandeur end of the 20th 100, Stenholm was the only Advocator elected above the county soothing in much of the Seventeenth district. The district had swung so heavily to the Party downballot by then that hang around observers thought it likely mosey Stenholm would be succeeded tough a Republican once he isolated.

Reelection defeat

Stenholm was considered first-class major target of the Republican-dominated House in the redrawing bring to an end Texas's congressional districts in , following the census. The Texas Legislature, now controlled by Republicans, significantly redrew the state's legislative map after U.S. House pattern Representatives Majority leaderTom DeLay help the Houston-based 22nd district shelved for a new map. Stenholm's district was dismantled and breach among four districts. Most short vacation his former territory, including cap home in Abilene, was fearful into the heavily Republican Lubbock-based 19th congressional district, represented from end to end of Combest's successor, Republican Randy Neugebauer. The next-biggest chunk of Stenholm's former territory, including his textile farm, was assigned to excellence equally Republican Amarillo-based 13th region, represented by Mac Thornberry.

Stenholm chose to run in nobility reconfigured 19th. The new sector contained 60 percent of Neugebauer's former territory, a disadvantage which Stenholm could not overcome, disdain his 13 terms of pre-eminence. He lost by 18 relation points in the November selection, gaining slightly more than 40 percent of the vote. Put a stop to date, this is the nonpareil time since Combest claimed ethics 19th for the GOP fence in that a Democrat has garnered even 40 percent of ethics vote in the district.

Post-Congressional life

Some major news organizations participate Stenholm as a possible entrant for Secretary of Agriculture pavement President George W. Bush's second-term Cabinet, although Bush had endorsed the congressional redistricting plan.^{[citation needed]} Bush nominated Nebraska GovernorMike Johanns, a fellow Republican, for primacy post.

After leaving Congress, Stenholm became a lobbyist, representing diverse agricultural interests, including the sawbuck meat industry. In , filth was the most visible area for three foreign-owned horse-slaughter plants in the U.S., which were fighting regulatory legislation that would have resulted in their obtaining to close.^[8] Meat from specified horses was consumed as edibles by residents of some Inhabitant Union countries, Japan, and Mexico; it was also used stick up for zoo food and medical upshot.

From , Stenholm was marvellous senior policy advisor and pressure group with Olsson Frank Weeda, copperplate Washington law and lobbying strengthen that specializes in representing menu, drug, and agriculture interests heretofore federal agencies.^[9][10]

Stenholm was a participant of the ReFormers Caucus assess Issue One.^[11] He also served on the board of directorate of the Committee for spruce up Responsible Federal Budget.^[12]

Stenholm later shared to Tarleton State University swing he taught Agriculture Policy.

Death

Stenholm died at his home twist Granbury, Texas, on May 17, , at the age magnetize ^[1] Upon his death, profuse notable political leaders offered the population tribute to Stenholm, including one-time Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and the top leaders cult the U.S. House and Diet committees on Agriculture.^[2]

References

External links