Richard Raymond (Texas politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard Peña Raymond is a Democratic
member of the Texas House of Representatives
. He currently represents District 42, which encompasses western Webb County
and includes most of the city of Laredo
. He is Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and is also a member of the Border Affairs and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. In 2006, Raymond ran for reelection to his state House seat and defeated former Webb County Judge Mercurio "Merc" Martinez, Jr., in a hard-fought Democratic primary runoff. Raymond was unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election of 2010.
In 1998, Raymond gave up his previous House seat when he resided in Benavides
in order to challenge the Republican
candidate for land commissioner, David Dewhurst
. Dewhurst easily won the election for the right to succeed Democratic Land Commissioner Garry Mauro
of Bryan
.
On the day of the inauguration of George W. Bush
as president, Raymond won a special election in Webb County to succeed Henry Cuellar
in the state House of Representatives. He defeated a multi-candidate field of Democrats, including Carlos Ygnacio "C.Y." Benavides, III, a Laredo-area businessman, who in 2006 ran unsuccessfully for Webb County judge.
, the seat of Jim Wells County
, and reared in Benavides. He graduated from Benavides High School
. He attended the University of Texas at Austin
, where he received a bachelor of arts
degree, majoring in government
with a minor in history
. Raymond also earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He and his wife Michelle have three children: Aren, Eva, and Ryan.
Raymond is considered a strong Democrat. He filed the lawsuit opposing the 2003 congressional redistricting
plan adopted by the states' Republican majority. In 2006, the United States Supreme Court, with the Ronald Reagan
appointee Justice Anthony Kennedy
providing the swing vote, ordered changes in the plan which proved favorable to Texas Democrats changes in the mid-term elections.
In 2007, Raymond participated unsuccessfully in a coup attempt against Texas House Speaker
Tom Craddick
, a Midland
Republican.
During the opening session of 2007, Raymond was the only member who rose to ask fellow members to vote against Craddick, even though he had no opponent. The refrain "Prove Me Wrong, Mr. Speaker," used by Raymond during this critical speech, was then repeated during the rest of the session, as opposition continued to build against Craddick. Twenty six other members joined Raymond in voting against Craddick, but by the end of the session it was clear a majority now agreed with Raymond.
At the beginning of the 2009 Session, Raymond and others finally succeeded in toppling Craddick by maneuvering the election of Representative Joe Straus (R - San Antonio) as the Speaker of the House.
In February 2009, Speaker Straus named Raymond Vice-Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, making him one of the most influential Democrats in the House of Representatives. Raymond was also named a member of the House Committee on Border Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.
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...
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...
. He currently represents District 42, which encompasses western 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...
and includes most of the city of 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,...
. He is Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and is also a member of the Border Affairs and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. In 2006, Raymond ran for reelection to his state House seat and defeated former Webb County Judge Mercurio "Merc" Martinez, Jr., in a hard-fought Democratic primary runoff. Raymond was unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election of 2010.
In 1998, Raymond gave up his previous House seat when he resided in Benavides
Benavides, Texas
Benavides is a city in Duval County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,686 at the 2000 census.-History:The town is named after Plácido Benavides, namesake nephew of Plácido Benavides , Tejano 1832 alcalde of Victoria, who served under Stephen F...
in order to challenge the 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...
candidate for land commissioner, David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the...
. Dewhurst easily won the election for the right to succeed Democratic Land Commissioner Garry Mauro
Garry Mauro
Garry Mauro is an American Democratic Party politician from Texas, most noted for being the four-term commissioner of the Texas General Land Office from 1983 to 1999 during the administrations of Governors Mark White, Bill Clements, Ann Richards, and George W...
of Bryan
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
.
On the day of the inauguration of 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....
as president, Raymond won a special election in Webb County to succeed Henry Cuellar
Henry Cuellar
Henry Roberto Cuellar is the U.S Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the...
in the state House of Representatives. He defeated a multi-candidate field of Democrats, including Carlos Ygnacio "C.Y." Benavides, III, a Laredo-area businessman, who in 2006 ran unsuccessfully for Webb County judge.
Before politics
Raymond was born in AliceAlice, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 per square mile . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 588.0 per square mile...
, the seat of Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 39,326 people, 12,961 households and 10,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 per square mile . There were 14,819 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
, and reared in Benavides. He graduated from Benavides High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He attended the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he received a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, majoring in government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
with a minor in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. Raymond also earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He and his wife Michelle have three children: Aren, Eva, and Ryan.
Raymond is considered a strong Democrat. He filed the lawsuit opposing the 2003 congressional redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
plan adopted by the states' Republican majority. In 2006, the United States Supreme Court, with the Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
appointee Justice Anthony Kennedy
Anthony Kennedy
Anthony McLeod Kennedy is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, having been appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Since the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor, Kennedy has often been the swing vote on many of the Court's politically charged 5–4 decisions...
providing the swing vote, ordered changes in the plan which proved favorable to Texas Democrats changes in the mid-term elections.
In 2007, Raymond participated unsuccessfully in a coup attempt against Texas House Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
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...
, a 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...
Republican.
During the opening session of 2007, Raymond was the only member who rose to ask fellow members to vote against Craddick, even though he had no opponent. The refrain "Prove Me Wrong, Mr. Speaker," used by Raymond during this critical speech, was then repeated during the rest of the session, as opposition continued to build against Craddick. Twenty six other members joined Raymond in voting against Craddick, but by the end of the session it was clear a majority now agreed with Raymond.
At the beginning of the 2009 Session, Raymond and others finally succeeded in toppling Craddick by maneuvering the election of Representative Joe Straus (R - San Antonio) as the Speaker of the House.
In February 2009, Speaker Straus named Raymond Vice-Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, making him one of the most influential Democrats in the House of Representatives. Raymond was also named a member of the House Committee on Border Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.