Wayne Christian
Encyclopedia
Wayne Christian is a business
man from Center
, Texas
, who is a Republican
member of the Texas House of Representatives
from District 9, which includes Jasper, Nacogdoches
, Sabine, San Augustine
, and Shelby
counties in East Texas
.
, where he attended public schools and graduated as valedictorian of his 1969 graduating class at Tenaha High School. According to his website, in 1975 he married the former Lisa Ruth Lemoine of nearby Shelbyville
. The couple has three daughters: Liza, Lindsey, and Lauren.
A financial planner, Christian is an agent of Woodbury Financial Services. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree from Stephen F. Austin State University
in Nacogdoches
, where he minored in marketing.
, is the current president of the bipartisan Texas Conservative Coalition. He is also currently a sitting board member of the Texas TEA Party
Caucus. He has served as vice chairman of the Regulated Industries and Criminal Jurisprudence committees and currently serves on the influential Ways and Means Committee. Throughout his years as a member of the Texas House, Christian has received numerous awards for his conservative voting record. In 1997, he was named "Outstanding Freshman Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Republican Caucus. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has designated him as "Taxpayer Hero" and "Taxpayer Champion". He was named "National Legislator of the Year" by the conservative interest group, the American Legislative Exchange Council
. The Texas Business Association named him "Fighter for Free Enterprise." The Young Conservatives of Texas presented Christian with the "Torch of Freedom Lifetime Achievement Award". Vision America named Christian, who is of the Baptist
denomination, as "Hero of the Faith." The Texas County Extension Service named him "Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture." The Texas branch of Phyllis Schlafly
's Eagle Forum
presented him with its "Freedom and Family Award" and also recognized Christian as one of the sixteen "most conservative" of the 181 members of both legislative chambers. In the 80th legislative session, the Capitol Insider declared his voting record as "100 percent conservative".
In the recently-concluded 82nd Legislature, Christian was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Conservative Digest, and scored a 100 percent conservative rating on the Texas Eagle Forum scorecard, as well as an A+ rating from the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Christian has worked on such lingering issues as the future of power plants in East Texas and settling the 30-year water level problems of Toledo Bend Reservoir
on the Sabine River, located on the Texas/Louisiana
border.
In 1996, Christian won his initial two-year term in the state House with less than 51 percent of the general election
vote. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for the United States House of Representatives
for the seat now held by fellow Republican Louie Gohmert
of Tyler
. In 2007, Christian returned to the Texas House after a two-year absence. He unseated freshman Representative Roy Morris Blake, Jr., of Nacogdoches in the March 2006 Republican primary, and Christian was unopposed in the following general election. He has since retained his seat by comfortable margins. He was reelected in 2010 with 72 percent of the vote cast.
In 2009, Christian obtained passage of a controversial amendment sponsored by a legislative ally, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, a Republican from Mauriceville
in Orange County
in far southeastern Texas, that allows Christian and a handful of neighbors on the Bolivar Peninsula
near Galveston
to rebuild beachfront houses destroyed by Hurricane Ike
. While the measure was strongly opposed by Commissioner of the General Land Office Jerry E. Patterson, who said he would not enforce it if passed, it easily passed through the House with almost no objection. Governor
Rick Perry
let the bill, and subsequently the Hamilton amendment, become law without his signature. Christian denied that the amendment is at odds with the Texas Open Beaches Act
or an environmental interference but reflects the right of property owners to use their holdings as they deem appropriate. The Texas Supreme Court
has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment.
Joe Straus
of San Antonio
for unfair redrawing of their districts. In both 2009 and 2011, Christian and much of the East Texas delegation opposed the election of Straus, who is considered a moderate Republican.
ortal|Texas}}
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man from Center
Center, Texas
Center is a city in Shelby County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,678 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Shelby County...
, 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...
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...
from District 9, which includes Jasper, Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 59,203 people, 22,006 households, and 14,039 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 25,051 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
, Sabine, San Augustine
San Augustine County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,946 people, 3,575 households, and 2,520 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 5,356 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, and Shelby
Shelby County, Texas
*Arcadia*Brooklyn*Center*Dreka *Huxley*Joaquin*Possum Trot*Shelbyville *Tenaha*Timpson*Weaver-Education:The following school districts serve Shelby County:*Center ISD*Excelsior ISD...
counties in East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
.
Background
Christian is the son of James E. and Tommie Nura Christian. His family roots in Shelby County date back four generations. He was born in Center but reared in nearby TenahaTenaha, Texas
Tenaha is a town in Shelby County, Texas, United States- established February 2, 1886. The population was 1,046 at the 2000 census. The town's name is taken from the Caddo language for "Muddy Water". Tenaha is a town in Shelby County, Texas, United States- established February 2, 1886. The...
, where he attended public schools and graduated as valedictorian of his 1969 graduating class at Tenaha High School. According to his website, in 1975 he married the former Lisa Ruth Lemoine of nearby Shelbyville
Shelbyville, Texas
Shelbyville is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, Texas, United States. It is located seven miles southeast of Center on State Highway 87.The Shelbyville Independent School District serves area students.-Historical development:...
. The couple has three daughters: Liza, Lindsey, and Lauren.
A financial planner, Christian is an agent of Woodbury Financial Services. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor 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 Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...
in Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
, where he minored in marketing.
Political life
The conservative Christian, strongly pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
, is the current president of the bipartisan Texas Conservative Coalition. He is also currently a sitting board member of the Texas TEA Party
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
Caucus. He has served as vice chairman of the Regulated Industries and Criminal Jurisprudence committees and currently serves on the influential Ways and Means Committee. Throughout his years as a member of the Texas House, Christian has received numerous awards for his conservative voting record. In 1997, he was named "Outstanding Freshman Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Republican Caucus. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has designated him as "Taxpayer Hero" and "Taxpayer Champion". He was named "National Legislator of the Year" by the conservative interest group, the American Legislative Exchange Council
American Legislative Exchange Council
The American Legislative Exchange Council is a politically conservative 501 non-profit Policy Organization, consisting of both state legislators and members of the private sector. ALEC's mission statement describes the organization's purpose as the advancement of free-market principles, limited...
. The Texas Business Association named him "Fighter for Free Enterprise." The Young Conservatives of Texas presented Christian with the "Torch of Freedom Lifetime Achievement Award". Vision America named Christian, who is of the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
denomination, as "Hero of the Faith." The Texas County Extension Service named him "Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture." The Texas branch of Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis McAlpin Stewart Schlafly is a Constitutional lawyer and an American politically conservative activist and author who founded the Eagle Forum. She is known for her opposition to modern feminism ideas and for her campaign against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment...
's Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum is a conservative interest group in the United States founded by Phyllis Schlafly in 1972 and is the parent organization that also includes the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund and the Eagle Forum PAC. The Eagle Forum has been primarily focused on social issues; it describes...
presented him with its "Freedom and Family Award" and also recognized Christian as one of the sixteen "most conservative" of the 181 members of both legislative chambers. In the 80th legislative session, the Capitol Insider declared his voting record as "100 percent conservative".
In the recently-concluded 82nd Legislature, Christian was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Conservative Digest, and scored a 100 percent conservative rating on the Texas Eagle Forum scorecard, as well as an A+ rating from the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Christian has worked on such lingering issues as the future of power plants in East Texas and settling the 30-year water level problems of Toledo Bend Reservoir
Toledo Bend Reservoir
Toledo Bend Reservoir is a reservoir on the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana. The lake has an area of 185,000 acres , the largest man-made body of water in Texas, the largest in the South, and the fifth largest in the United States. The dam is capable of generating 92 megawatts of...
on the Sabine River, located on the Texas/Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
border.
In 1996, Christian won his initial two-year term in the state House with less than 51 percent of the 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...
vote. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for the United States 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...
for the seat now held by fellow Republican Louie Gohmert
Louie Gohmert
Louis Buller Gohmert, Jr. is an American politician and current Republican U.S. Representative from Texas's 1st congressional district.-Life and career:...
of Tyler
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
. In 2007, Christian returned to the Texas House after a two-year absence. He unseated freshman Representative Roy Morris Blake, Jr., of Nacogdoches in the March 2006 Republican primary, and Christian was unopposed in the following general election. He has since retained his seat by comfortable margins. He was reelected in 2010 with 72 percent of the vote cast.
In 2009, Christian obtained passage of a controversial amendment sponsored by a legislative ally, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, a Republican from Mauriceville
Mauriceville, Texas
Mauriceville is a census-designated place in Orange County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,743 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in Orange County
Orange County, Texas
Orange County is one of 254 counties of the State of Texas and its county seat is the city of Orange, Texas. In the year 2000, the population of Orange County was about 85,000. Orange County is the county in the very southeastern corner of Texas, with a boundary with Louisiana and a seacoast on the...
in far southeastern Texas, that allows Christian and a handful of neighbors on the Bolivar Peninsula
Bolivar Peninsula, Texas
Bolivar Peninsula is a census-designated place in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,853 at the 2000 census.-History:...
near Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
to rebuild beachfront houses destroyed by Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
. While the measure was strongly opposed by Commissioner of the General Land Office Jerry E. Patterson, who said he would not enforce it if passed, it easily passed through the House with almost no objection. 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...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
let the bill, and subsequently the Hamilton amendment, become law without his signature. Christian denied that the amendment is at odds with the Texas Open Beaches Act
Texas Open Beaches Act
The Texas Open Beaches Act is a U.S. state of Texas law, passed in 1959 and amended in 1991, which guarantees free public access to beaches on the Gulf of Mexico:...
or an environmental interference but reflects the right of property owners to use their holdings as they deem appropriate. The Texas Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters.The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices...
has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment.
2012 prospects
Under the 2012 redistricting plan for the Texas House, Christian must run in a district in which some 80 percent of the constituents will be new to him. He is one of several senior members of the House Republican party that were either paired off with other Republicans or moved into largely new population districts. These members have blamed Speaker of the Texas House of RepresentativesSpeaker 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...
Joe Straus
Joe Straus
Joseph R. Straus, III, known as Joe Straus , is the current Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He represents District 121, which comprises northeastern Bexar County, including part of San Antonio, Texas, and several surrounding communities...
of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
for unfair redrawing of their districts. In both 2009 and 2011, Christian and much of the East Texas delegation opposed the election of Straus, who is considered a moderate Republican.
ortal|Texas}}