Pete Laney
Encyclopedia
James E. "Pete" Laney is a U.S. Democratic Party politician from West Texas
. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives
for 34 years from Hale Center
(near Plainview
). Laney served as Speaker
for ten years from 1993 to 2003, a record matching that set by his predecessor, fellow Democrat Gibson D. "Gib" Lewis of Fort Worth
, who served as speaker from 1983 to 1993.
During his tenure, Laney was widely praised for demonstrating principle, integrity, and character in his leadership of the House. He was cited by Republican
Governor
George W. Bush
, during the 2000 Presidential campaign
, as a model of legislative bipartisan co-operation. As Speaker, Laney "foster[ed] a bipartisan atmosphere for legislators to work together with mutual respect and place public needs ahead of personal interests and partisan politics."
Lewis triggered a speaker's race in 1991 when he announced, amidst allegations of accepting an illegal gift from a law firm, that he would not seek re-election as speaker in 1993. Laney announced in November 1992 that he had secured the pledges of more than 80 of his colleagues to elect him Speaker. In his first term as Speaker, Laney "ran the fairest, cleanest, most open, most democratic House in memory." He was named by Texas Monthly
magazine as one of the "Top Ten" legislators of the Seventy-third Texas Legislature
.
Laney's tenure as Speaker ended after the 2002 elections, when the GOP
gained a majority in the Texas House for the first time since Reconstruction, and Thomas R. "Tom" Craddick, Sr.
(also born 1943), of Midland
, was elected the first Republican Speaker since 1871. Craddick served in the presiding post from 2003-2009. When Craddick undertook an unprecedented mid-decade congressional redistricting, Laney joined fellow Democrats who traveled to Ardmore
, Oklahoma
, to block consideration of the Republican's bill by denying the House a quorum
.
In December 2005, Laney announced he would not seek re-election to the House in which he had served continuously since 1973. Laney, no longer Speaker, was re-elected in 2004 by defeating his Republican opponent with almost 59 percent of the vote in a district won by George W. Bush with 76 percent of the vote. In 2006, Democrats retained Laney's seat in a hard-fought general election
won by former Crosby County Judge Joseph P. Heflin
, who defeated James L. "Jim" Landtroop
(born 1968) of Plainview. Landtroop had also opposed Laney in 2004. From 2007-2011, the district was the only Panhandle-area legislative seat held by a Democrat. Then Landtroop staged a comeback in 2010 and unseated Heflin.
Laney was born in Plainview to Wilber G. Laney (1918–2005) and the former Frances L. Wilson (1921–2000). He married the former Nelda Kay McQuien (also born 1943). Their children are KaLyn Laney, James Kay (Jamey) Laney Phillips, and J Pete Laney.
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas 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...
for 34 years from Hale Center
Hale Center, Texas
Hale Center is a city in Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,263 at the 2000 census. Hale Center is near the county seat of Plainview.Hale Center is located at ....
(near Plainview
Plainview, Texas
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,336 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....
). Laney served as Speaker
Speaker 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...
for ten years from 1993 to 2003, a record matching that set by his predecessor, fellow Democrat Gibson D. "Gib" Lewis of 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...
, who served as speaker from 1983 to 1993.
During his tenure, Laney was widely praised for demonstrating principle, integrity, and character in his leadership of the House. He was cited by 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...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
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....
, during the 2000 Presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
, as a model of legislative bipartisan co-operation. As Speaker, Laney "foster[ed] a bipartisan atmosphere for legislators to work together with mutual respect and place public needs ahead of personal interests and partisan politics."
Lewis triggered a speaker's race in 1991 when he announced, amidst allegations of accepting an illegal gift from a law firm, that he would not seek re-election as speaker in 1993. Laney announced in November 1992 that he had secured the pledges of more than 80 of his colleagues to elect him Speaker. In his first term as Speaker, Laney "ran the fairest, cleanest, most open, most democratic House in memory." He was named 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 as one of the "Top Ten" legislators of the Seventy-third Texas Legislature
Seventy-third Texas Legislature
The 73rd Texas Legislature met from January 12, 1993 to May 31, 1993. All members present during this session were elected in the 1992 general elections.-Senate:-House of Representatives:-Senate:* Lieutenant Governor: Bob Bullock, Democrat...
.
Laney's tenure as Speaker ended after the 2002 elections, when 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...
gained a majority in the Texas House for the first time since Reconstruction, and Thomas R. "Tom" Craddick, Sr.
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...
(also born 1943), of Midland
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
, was elected the first Republican Speaker since 1871. Craddick served in the presiding post from 2003-2009. When Craddick undertook an unprecedented mid-decade congressional redistricting, Laney joined fellow Democrats who traveled to Ardmore
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Ardmore is a business, cultural and tourism city in and the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 24,283, while a 2007 estimate has the Ardmore micropolitan statistical area totaling 56,694 residents...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, to block consideration of the Republican's bill by denying the House a quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
.
In December 2005, Laney announced he would not seek re-election to the House in which he had served continuously since 1973. Laney, no longer Speaker, was re-elected in 2004 by defeating his Republican opponent with almost 59 percent of the vote in a district won by George W. Bush with 76 percent of the vote. In 2006, Democrats retained Laney's seat in a hard-fought general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
won by former Crosby County Judge Joseph P. Heflin
Joseph P. Heflin
Joseph Paul Heflin, known as Joe Heflin , is a departing Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 85 in the South Plains...
, who defeated James L. "Jim" Landtroop
Jim Landtroop
James Franklin Landtroop, Jr., known as Jim Landtroop , is a businessman from Plainview, Texas, who is an in incoming Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 85 in the South Plains. In the general election held on November 2, 2010, Landtroop handily unseated two-term...
(born 1968) of Plainview. Landtroop had also opposed Laney in 2004. From 2007-2011, the district was the only Panhandle-area legislative seat held by a Democrat. Then Landtroop staged a comeback in 2010 and unseated Heflin.
Laney was born in Plainview to Wilber G. Laney (1918–2005) and the former Frances L. Wilson (1921–2000). He married the former Nelda Kay McQuien (also born 1943). Their children are KaLyn Laney, James Kay (Jamey) Laney Phillips, and J Pete Laney.