Steve Stockman
Encyclopedia
Steve Stockman is a Republican
politician who represented Texas's 9th Congressional District
between 1995 and 1997.
, near Detroit. He graduated from Dondero High School.
In 1992, Stockman ran as a Republican for the House of Representatives
against Jack Brooks
. He was unsuccessful in this attempt, though he unseated the 42-year incumbent and then chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in 1994.
During Stockman's time in Congress, the district represented Chambers, Galveston
, Jefferson
, and part of Harris
counties, including part of metropolitan Houston
.
A conservative, he was a faculty member who conducted training for the non-partisan Leadership Institute
based in Arlington, Virginia. He worked for the Leadership Institute as the Campus Leadership Program Director. He has also been involved with the Young Conservatives of Texas
, and has represented Republicans at International Democrat Union
meetings.
Stockman, as a one term incumbent, was defeated by Democrat Nick Lampson, in 1996.
In 2011 Stockman formed an exploratory committee, Friends of Steve Stockman, to consider a run for the TX-14 Congressional seat being vacated by Congressman Ron Paul
.
Notable sponsored bills in the 104th Congress included:
Notable cosponsored bills in the 104th Congress that became law included:
Notable cosponsored bills in the 104th Congress that did not become law included:
reporter Tim Fleck trespassed in Stockman's campaign headquarters, which was also his home, and terrorized his wife. Fleck countered with a lawsuit alleging libel and slander. Both the charges and lawsuit were later dropped.
On April 19, 1995, Stockman's office received a fax "at about the same time" touting the bombing in Oklahoma City
, which was initially discarded. Stockman later turned that fax over to the FBI. Following false news reports that the fax had been sent in advance, federal officials later determined the fax was sent about 50 minutes after the bombing. He was never implicated in any way in the bombing itself, but his critics said the reason that the militia movement trusted him was due to an article in Guns and Ammo Magazine proclaiming that the Waco Siege
was a government conspiracy to “prove the need for a ban on so called assault weapons”.
for Texas's 9th Congressional District was unusual.
After the normal primaries had been held, the district boundaries of the 18th, 29th and 30th districts were struck down as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in Bush v. Vera
, necessitating redistricting of the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 28th and 30th Districts.
Because the redistricting was held after the normal primaries, those results were discarded and new votes for these districts were held as special elections; open to all candidates without a primary, and requiring a majority to win the seat outright.
These elections were held concurrently with the November general election for other elective positions. Stockman led Democrat
Nick Lampson
in the special election, 46.44 percent to 44.13 percent, but did not get a majority in a three-way race.
In the subsequent head-to-head runoff, Lampson defeated Stockman, 52.83 percent to 47.16 percent.
In 1998, Stockman was an unsuccessful Republican primary candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission. He lost to Governor George W. Bush
's preferred candidate, Tony Garza
, by a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent. Garza went on to win the Railroad Commission position in the November general election
.
In 2006, he attempted to run as an independent candidate for Texas's 22nd congressional district
, Tom DeLay
's former seat, but he failed to gather enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. However, Stockman did register for the Special Election to fill out the remainder of the term for the Texas 22nd Congressional district, one of five candidates.
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...
politician who represented Texas's 9th Congressional District
Texas's 9th congressional district
-References:*...
between 1995 and 1997.
Biography
Stockman was born in Bloomfield Hills, MichiganBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
, near Detroit. He graduated from Dondero High School.
In 1992, Stockman ran as a Republican for the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
against Jack Brooks
Jack Brooks (politician)
Jack Bascom Brooks is a retired Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who served for more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was defeated for reelection in the 1994 election...
. He was unsuccessful in this attempt, though he unseated the 42-year incumbent and then chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in 1994.
During Stockman's time in Congress, the district represented Chambers, Galveston
Galveston County, Texas
Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between...
, Jefferson
Jefferson County, Texas
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
, and part of Harris
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
counties, including part of metropolitan Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
A conservative, he was a faculty member who conducted training for the non-partisan Leadership Institute
Leadership Institute
The Leadership Institute is a 501 non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia that teaches "political technology.".The Institute was founded in 1979 by conservative activist Morton C. Blackwell...
based in Arlington, Virginia. He worked for the Leadership Institute as the Campus Leadership Program Director. He has also been involved with the Young Conservatives of Texas
Young Conservatives of Texas
Young Conservatives of Texas is a nonpartisan conservative youth organization based in Texas. YCT was founded in 1980 and now has chapters at six universities including Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin, and Baylor University.A total of 177...
, and has represented Republicans at International Democrat Union
International Democrat Union
The International Democrat Union, abbreviated to IDU, is a centre-right international alliance of conservative and liberal-conservative political parties. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the IDU comprises 45 full or associate members...
meetings.
Stockman, as a one term incumbent, was defeated by Democrat Nick Lampson, in 1996.
In 2011 Stockman formed an exploratory committee, Friends of Steve Stockman, to consider a run for the TX-14 Congressional seat being vacated by Congressman Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
.
Legislative Record
In Stockman's one term in office, he sponsored 22 bills or resolutions and cosponsored 241. One sponsored resolution was agreed to by both the House and Senate; 37 cosponsored bills or resolutions passed the House, of which 18 passed the Senate. Of those, 2 were vetoed and 1 died in conference.Notable sponsored bills in the 104th Congress included:
- H.CON.RES.166 Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Washington for Jesus 1996 prayer rally. This was Stockman's only successful sponsored legislation.
- H.J.RES.87 A constitutional amendment to prevent citizenship to native-born children of non-legal residents, and other changes.
- H.R.2087 To provide that human life shall be deemed to exist from conception.
- H.R.2393 To eliminate background checks, waiting periods, and registration requirements for firearms.
- H.R.2749 To investigate the Kinsey ReportsKinsey ReportsThe Kinsey Reports are two books on human sexual behavior, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female , by Dr. Alfred Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy and others and published by Saunders...
. - H.R.4222 To make private school costs tax-deductible.
Notable cosponsored bills in the 104th Congress that became law included:
- H.R.436 required heads of Federal agencies to differentiate between different types of fats, oils, and greases, when issuing regulations.
- H.R.1514 authorized and assisted programs to enhance safety, training, research, and development in the propane gas industry. The bill was aimed at improving the industry for the sake of consumers and the public.
- H.R.1627 amending the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; as well as, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
- H.R.2137 amended the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to require the release of information to protect the public from sexual offenders (Megan's LawMegan's LawMegan's Law is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders. Individual states decide what information will be made available and how it should be disseminated...
). - H.R.3396 To define and protect the institution of marriage, the Defense of Marriage ActDefense of Marriage ActThe Defense of Marriage Act is a United States federal law whereby the federal government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no U.S. state may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state...
.
Notable cosponsored bills in the 104th Congress that did not become law included:
- H.J.RES.1 A balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
- H.J.RES.79 An amendment to prohibit desecration of the flag.
- H.R.2 Line-item vetoLine-item vetoIn United States government, the line-item veto, or partial veto, is the power of an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually a budget appropriations bill, without vetoing the entire legislative package...
. - H.R.123 to declare English as the official language of the Government of the United States.
- H.R.1833 Banning Partial Birth AbortionIntact dilation and extractionIntact dilation and extraction is a procedure done in late term abortion. It is also known as intact dilation and evacuation, dilation and extraction , intrauterine cranial decompression and, vernacularly in the United States, as partial birth abortion...
.
Controversies
In June 1996, Stockman and his campaign alleged that Houston PressHouston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
reporter Tim Fleck trespassed in Stockman's campaign headquarters, which was also his home, and terrorized his wife. Fleck countered with a lawsuit alleging libel and slander. Both the charges and lawsuit were later dropped.
On April 19, 1995, Stockman's office received a fax "at about the same time" touting the bombing in Oklahoma City
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
, which was initially discarded. Stockman later turned that fax over to the FBI. Following false news reports that the fax had been sent in advance, federal officials later determined the fax was sent about 50 minutes after the bombing. He was never implicated in any way in the bombing itself, but his critics said the reason that the militia movement trusted him was due to an article in Guns and Ammo Magazine proclaiming that the Waco Siege
Waco Siege
The Waco siege began on February 28, 1993, and ended violently 50 days later on April 19. The siege began when the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located east-northeast of Waco,...
was a government conspiracy to “prove the need for a ban on so called assault weapons”.
Reelection attempts
The 1996 general electionGeneral 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...
for Texas's 9th Congressional District was unusual.
After the normal primaries had been held, the district boundaries of the 18th, 29th and 30th districts were struck down as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in Bush v. Vera
Bush v. Vera
Bush v. Vera, 517 U.S. 952 , was a United States Supreme Court case concerning racial gerrymandering, where racial minority majority-electoral districts were created during Texas' 1990 redistricting to increase minority Congressional representation...
, necessitating redistricting of the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 28th and 30th Districts.
Because the redistricting was held after the normal primaries, those results were discarded and new votes for these districts were held as special elections; open to all candidates without a primary, and requiring a majority to win the seat outright.
These elections were held concurrently with the November general election for other elective positions. Stockman led Democrat
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...
Nick Lampson
Nick Lampson
Nicholas Valentino 'Nick' Lampson is an American politician from the state of Texas and was a Congressman representing the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. He was defeated by Pete Olson on November 4, 2008 in his re-election bid....
in the special election, 46.44 percent to 44.13 percent, but did not get a majority in a three-way race.
In the subsequent head-to-head runoff, Lampson defeated Stockman, 52.83 percent to 47.16 percent.
In 1998, Stockman was an unsuccessful Republican primary candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission. He lost to Governor 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....
's preferred candidate, Tony Garza
Tony Garza
Antonio Oscar "Tony" Garza, Jr. , an American lawyer and former county judge in Texas, was the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009.-Early life and education:...
, by a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent. Garza went on to win the Railroad Commission position in the November 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...
.
In 2006, he attempted to run as an independent candidate for Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas District 22 of the United States House of Representatives is the Congressional district that covers a south-central portion of the metropolitan area. It includes the cities of Rosenberg and La Marque as well as portions of Missouri City and Pearland, in Fort Bend, Harris, Galveston, and...
, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
's former seat, but he failed to gather enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. However, Stockman did register for the Special Election to fill out the remainder of the term for the Texas 22nd Congressional district, one of five candidates.