49%
Success rate of the 35 former representatives who have asked voters since 2000 to return them to the House after at least a session away. At least one former representative has returned to the chamber after an absence in every general election since 2002.
Five former legislators are seeking a return to the chamber so far:
- Ted Kamel (R-Tyler), last elected in 1996
- Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio), last elected in 2014 but did not seek re-election (ran for SD26 instead)
- Gilbert Peña (R-Pasadena), elected to a single term in 2014
- Stuart Spitzer (R-Kaufman), elected to a single term in 2014
- Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands), elected to a single term in 2012 but did not seek re-election (ran for SD4 instead)
Spitzer is facing Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) for the fourth consecutive primary election, and Peña is seeking a third consecutive general election match against Rep. Mary Ann Perez (D-Houston). Kamel and Martinez Fischer are challenging incumbents they have not previously faced, and Toth is running for an open seat.
In 2016, eight former legislators sought to reclaim a seat in the House. Current Reps. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio), Gooden, Perez and Hugh Shine (R-Temple) prevailed. The first three avenged 2014 losses, while Shine returned after a 13-term absence, the longest gap in elective service since 1938. The comeback campaigns of former Reps. Jim Landtroop (R-Lubbock), George Lavender (R-Texarkana), Chente Quintanilla (D-Tornillo) and Bennett Ratliff (R-Coppell) ended in primary defeats.
Former Legislators Who Have Won Comebacks to the House Since 2000
2016
HD4: Lance Gooden defeated Rep. Stuart Spitzer, 52%-48%, in the Republican primary after losing the 2014 Republican primary to Spitzer, 51%-49%.
HD55: Hugh Shine defeated Rep. Molly White, 50.3%-49.7%, in the Republican primary and was unopposed in the general election to end a 13-term absence.
HD117: Philip Cortez defeated Rep. Rick Galindo, 51%-49%, in the general election after losing the 2014 general election to Galindo, 53%-47%.
HD144: Mary Ann Perez defeated Rep. Gilbert Peña, 60%-40%, in the general election after losing the 2014 general election to Peña, 51%-49%.
2014
HD105: Rodney Anderson defeated Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, 53%-47%, in the Republican primary after not seeking re-election in 2012.
2012
HD34: Abel Herrero defeated Rep. Connie Scott, 57%-43%, in the general election after losing the 2010 general election to Scott, 54%-46%.
HD78: Joe Moody defeated Rep. Dee Margo, 54%-46%, in the general election after losing the 2010 general election to Margo, 52%-48%.
HD101: Chris Turner defeated a minor party candidate in the general election after losing the 2010 general election for HD96 to Bill Zedler, 52%-48%.
2010
HD96: Bill Zedler defeated Rep. Chris Turner, 52%-48%, in the general election after losing the 2008 general election to Turner, 51%-47%.
HD133: Jim Murphy defeated Rep. Kristi Thibaut, 56%-42%, in the general election after losing the 2008 general election to Thibaut, 51%-49%.
HD146: Borris Miles defeated Rep. Al Edwards by 8 votes in the Democratic primary after losing the 2008 Democratic Primary to Edwards, 61%-39%.
2008
HD32: Rep. Todd Hunter defeated Rep. Juan F. Garcia, 50%-47%, in the general election after not seeking re-election in 1996.
HD146: Al Edwards defeated Rep. Borris Miles, 61%-39%, in the Democratic primary after losing the 2006 Democratic runoff to Miles, 54%-46%.
2006
HD9: Wayne Christian defeated Rep. Roy Blake Jr., 56%-44%, in the Republican primary after an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2004.
2004
HD80: Tracy King defeated Rep. Timo Garza, 61%-39%, in the Democratic primary after losing the 2002 Democratic runoff to Garza, 52%-48%.
2002
HD104: Roberto Alonzo defeated Rep. Domingo Garcia by 41 votes in the Democratic primary after losing the 1996 Democratic runoff to Garcia, 54%-46%.
2000
HD42: Richard Raymond won a 2001 special election for an unexpired term after an unsuccessful run for Land Commissioner in 1998.
Former Legislators Who Did Not Win Comebacks to the House Since 2000
2016
HD1: George Lavender lost the 2016 Republican primary to Gary VanDeaver, 62%-38%, after losing the 2014 Republican primary to VanDeaver, 54%-46%.
HD75: Chente Quintanilla lost the 2016 Democratic primary to Mary Gonzalez, 58%-42%, after retiring in 2012.
HD84: Jim Landtroop lost the 2016 Republican primary to John Frullo, 55%-45%, after losing the 2012 Republican primary runoff for HD88 to Ken King, 54%-46%.
HD115: Bennett Ratliff lost the 2016 Republican primary to Matt Rinaldi, 53%-47%, after losing the 2014 Republican primary to Rinaldi, 51%-49%.
2014
HD75: Norma Chavez lost the 2014 Democratic runoff to Cesar Blanco, 68%-32%, after losing the 2010 Democratic runoff to Naomi Gonzalez, 53%-47%.
2012
HD43: Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles lost the 2012 general election to J.M. Lozano, 52%-48%, after losing the 2010 general election to Jose Aliseda, 53%-47%.
HD84: Delwin Jones lost the 2012 Republican primary to Charles Perry, 71%-29%, after losing the 2010 Republican runoff to Perry, 58%-42%. Jones went on to lose a 2014 special election to Perry for an open senate seat.
HD85: Dora Olivo lost the 2012 general election to Phil Stephenson, 58%-42%, after losing the 2010 Democratic primary for HD27 to Ron Reynolds, 58%-42%.
HD88: Gary Walker failed to make a runoff in the 2012 Republican primary for HD88 after losing the 2002 Republican primary for HD83 to Delwin Jones, 52%-48%.
HD101: Paula Hightower Pierson lost the 2012 Democratic primary to Chris Turner, 53%-34%, after losing the 2010 general election for HD96 to Barbara Nash, 49%-48%.
HD146: Al Edwards lost his final comeback bid in the 2012 Democratic primary to Borris Miles, 58%-42%.
2010
HD114: Bill Keffer lost the 2010 Republican primary runoff to Jason Villalba, 54%-46%, after losing the 2006 general election to Allen Vaught, 50%-47%.
2008
HD97: Bob Leonard lost the 2008 Republican primary to Mark Shelton, 59%-32%, after resigning in 1987.
HD114: Bill Keffer lost the 2008 general election to Allen Vaught, 50%-47%, after losing the 2006 general election to Vaught, 50%-47%.
2006
None
2004
HD5: Bob Glaze lost the 2004 general election to Bryan Hughes, 62%-38%, after losing the 2002 general election to Hughes, 52%-48%.
HD12: Billy Clemons lost the 2004 general election to Jim McReynolds, 51%-49%, after losing the 1996 general election to McReynolds, 51%-49%.
2002
HD59: David Lengefeld lost the 2002 general election to Sid Miller, 57%-43%, after losing the 2002 general election to Miller, 54%-46%.
2000
HD97: Nancy Moffat lost the 2000 Republican primary to Vicki Truitt, 66%-34%, after losing the 1998 Republican primary to Truitt, 61%-39%.
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