Walter Mengden
Encyclopedia
Walter Henry Mengden, Jr. (born October 25, 1926), is an attorney and oil
man in Austin
and Houston
, Texas
, who is a Republican
former member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature from Harris County
.
degree from the University of Texas at Austin
. Subsequently, he obtained his L.L.B. and Juris Doctor
law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law
. He was admitted to the bar in 1954. He is Roman Catholic.
Mengden served in the United States Navy
during World War II
and the Army
in the Korean War
. He and his wife, the former June Shell (born 1933), have a daughter and three sons.
After a single term in the Texas House in District 22-2 in 1971 and 1972, Mengden was elected in 1972 as the District 13
senator. He served from January 1973 to January 1983. District 13 had previously been based in the Waco
and Temple
area of Central Texas but was moved to Harris County with the 1971 redistricting. The district was further redistricted in the 1980s and is now majority African American
and represented by the Democrat Rodney Ellis
.
In 1976, Mengden led a slate of delegates in Texas's 7th congressional district
pledged to former Governor
Ronald W. Reagan of California
, who was challenging U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., at the Republican National Convention
in Kansas City
, Missouri
. Mengden defeated Robert Mosbacher
of Houston, the leader of the Ford forces. Mosbacher was later a Cabinet officer in the administration of Reagan's successor and vice president, George Herbert Walker Bush. Mengden prevailed with 39,276 votes to Mosbacher's 26,344 votes. He was hence among the one hundred Texas delegates at Kansas City committed to Reagan.
the Legislature" in both the 64th
and 65th
sessions. In the 66th
session, the Texas District and County Attorneys Association cited Mengden in its publication Texas Prosecutor for his anti-crime activities. Mengden worked to secure constitutional limitations on state and local taxation as well as silent prayer in public schools. He also sponsored a creation science
bill in the Senate.
Mengden also pushed, unsuccessfully, for the adoption of initiative
and referendum
in Texas, having lobbied for the reform measure during the 1974 state constitutional convention, which adjourned without a new governing document. In the initiative, which started in South Dakota
in 1898, voters can write their own legislation and submit to a popular referendum, thus bypassing the legislature in certain situations. Instead, Texans can vote only on state constitutional amendments, usually held in November of odd years. These amendments are usually parochial and non-controversial in nature and thus attract little interest. An exception was the 1991 amendment to establish the state lottery
. Initiative and referendum enjoyed large support from grassroots Republicans, but Governor
Bill Clements
never called the promised special session of the legislature to consider the measure. Thereafter, Governor George W. Bush
had initiative and referendum removed from the party platform, and support for the reform has since languished.
In 1981, Mengden was one of four senators named as President Pro Tempore of the chamber. He soon left the Senate to contest the 1982 Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate to challenge the two-term Democrat
Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., also of Houston. Mengden lost the nomination to then U.S. Representative James M. Collins
of Dallas
. Mengden accused Collins of having focused in Washington, D.C.
, primarily on killing "bad legislation", rather than passing needed bills. "Our problems are so great that even if that was valid sixteen or seventeen years ago, it's not today," said Mengden, who claimed to have obtained passage in the Senate of ninety-one bills. Both candiates ran as active supporters of President Reagan.
Collins polled 152,469 votes (58 percent) in the low-turnout primary to Mengden's 91,780 (34.9 percent). A third contender, computer executive Don L. Richardson, received the remaining 7.1 percent of the vote. Collins was then handily defeated by Bentsen. The year 1982 is still the most recent in Texas political history in which Democrats carried all statewide offices on the ballot.
The Mengdens reside in Austin
. On their deaths the couple will be interred there at the Texas State Cemetery
.
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
man in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and 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 ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, who is a 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...
former member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature from Harris County
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...
.
Early years
Mengden was the son of Walter Mengden, Sr. (1903–1986) and Eugenia Mengden (1905–1983) of Houston.In 1938, the senior Mengdens purchased the Holley-Mengden House at 2240 Glen Haven Boulevard in Houston, now an historic site. There Mengden lived until adulthood. In 1950, Mengden received his Bachelor of Business AdministrationBachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree from 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...
. Subsequently, he obtained his L.L.B. and Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law
University of Texas School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law, also known as UT Law, is an ABA-certified American law school located on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The law school has been in operation since the founding of the University in 1883. It was one of only two schools at the University when it was...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1954. He is Roman Catholic.
Mengden served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He and his wife, the former June Shell (born 1933), have a daughter and three sons.
After a single term in the Texas House in District 22-2 in 1971 and 1972, Mengden was elected in 1972 as the District 13
Texas Senate, District 13
District 13 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Fort Bend and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 13 is Rodney Ellis.-2006:-2002:-1998:-1994:...
senator. He served from January 1973 to January 1983. District 13 had previously been based in the Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
and Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
area of Central Texas but was moved to Harris County with the 1971 redistricting. The district was further redistricted in the 1980s and is now majority African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and represented by the Democrat Rodney Ellis
Rodney Ellis
Rodney Glenn Ellis is an African-American politician from the state of Texas. He has served on the Texas State Senate since 1990, representing Texas Senate District 13.Senator Rodney Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990...
.
In 1976, Mengden led a slate of delegates in Texas's 7th congressional district
Texas's 7th congressional district
Texas District 7 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a small area of western Harris County...
pledged to former Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Ronald W. Reagan of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, who was challenging U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., at the Republican National Convention
1976 Republican National Convention
The 1976 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States met at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, from August 16 to August 19, 1976. The convention nominated incumbent Gerald Ford for President, but only after narrowly defeating a strong challenge from former California...
in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Mengden defeated Robert Mosbacher
Robert Mosbacher
Robert Adam Mosbacher, Sr. , was an American businessman, accomplished yacht racer, and a Republican politician. In sailing, Sports Illustrated called him "the unquestioned master of fleet racing." In business in 1954, he found a million-dollar field of natural gas in South Texas...
of Houston, the leader of the Ford forces. Mosbacher was later a Cabinet officer in the administration of Reagan's successor and vice president, George Herbert Walker Bush. Mengden prevailed with 39,276 votes to Mosbacher's 26,344 votes. He was hence among the one hundred Texas delegates at Kansas City committed to Reagan.
Senate service
Mengden was sometimes called "Mad Dog Mengden" for his opposition to many bills supported by his colleagues, but he remained popular in District 13, as it was then configured, having been reelected in 1976 and 1980 with little opposition. Mengden was particularly known for his sponsorship of "law-and-order" legislation backed by law-enforcement agencies and appealing to conservative voters concerned about the crime rate. The Sheriff's Association of Texas, in its publication Texas Lawman, named Mengden the "Most Outstanding Member ofthe Legislature" in both the 64th
Sixty-fourth Texas Legislature
The 64th Texas Legislature met from January 14, 1975 to June 2, 1975. All members present during this session were elected in the 1974 general elections.-Senate:-House:-Senate:* Lieutenant Governor: William P. Hobby, Jr., Democrat...
and 65th
Sixty-fifth Texas Legislature
The 65th Texas Legislature met from January 11, 1977 to May 30, 1977 in regular session, and again in two special called sessions . All members present during this session were elected in the 1976 general elections.-Sessions:...
sessions. In the 66th
Sixty-sixth Texas Legislature
The 66th Texas Legislature met from January 9, 1979 to May 28, 1979. All members present during this session were elected in the 1978 general elections.-Senate:-House:-Senate:* Lieutenant Governor: William P. Hobby, Jr., Democrat...
session, the Texas District and County Attorneys Association cited Mengden in its publication Texas Prosecutor for his anti-crime activities. Mengden worked to secure constitutional limitations on state and local taxation as well as silent prayer in public schools. He also sponsored a creation science
Creation science
Creation Science or scientific creationism is a branch of creationism that attempts to provide scientific support for the Genesis creation narrative in the Book of Genesis and disprove generally accepted scientific facts, theories and scientific paradigms about the history of the Earth, cosmology...
bill in the Senate.
Mengden also pushed, unsuccessfully, for the adoption of initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
in Texas, having lobbied for the reform measure during the 1974 state constitutional convention, which adjourned without a new governing document. In the initiative, which started in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
in 1898, voters can write their own legislation and submit to a popular referendum, thus bypassing the legislature in certain situations. Instead, Texans can vote only on state constitutional amendments, usually held in November of odd years. These amendments are usually parochial and non-controversial in nature and thus attract little interest. An exception was the 1991 amendment to establish the state lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
. Initiative and referendum enjoyed large support from grassroots Republicans, but Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
never called the promised special session of the legislature to consider the measure. Thereafter, 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....
had initiative and referendum removed from the party platform, and support for the reform has since languished.
In 1981, Mengden was one of four senators named as President Pro Tempore of the chamber. He soon left the Senate to contest the 1982 Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate to challenge the two-term 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...
Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., also of Houston. Mengden lost the nomination to then U.S. Representative James M. Collins
James M. Collins
James Mitchell Collins, often known as Jim Collins , was a Republican who represented the Third Congressional District of Texas from 1968-1983. The district was based at the time about Irving in Dallas County....
of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Mengden accused Collins of having focused in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, primarily on killing "bad legislation", rather than passing needed bills. "Our problems are so great that even if that was valid sixteen or seventeen years ago, it's not today," said Mengden, who claimed to have obtained passage in the Senate of ninety-one bills. Both candiates ran as active supporters of President Reagan.
Collins polled 152,469 votes (58 percent) in the low-turnout primary to Mengden's 91,780 (34.9 percent). A third contender, computer executive Don L. Richardson, received the remaining 7.1 percent of the vote. Collins was then handily defeated by Bentsen. The year 1982 is still the most recent in Texas political history in which Democrats carried all statewide offices on the ballot.
The Mengdens reside in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. On their deaths the couple will be interred there at the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
.