1984 Texas Senate election

The 1984 Texas Senate elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state senators in 15 of the 31 State Senate. The winners of this election served in the 69th Texas Legislature.

Background Democrats had controlled the Texas Senate since the 1872 elections. The Legislature passed redistricting bills in 1981, but Republican governor Bill Clements vetoed the state Senate map. The Legislative Redistricting Board, made up entirely of Democrats, was then tasked with drawing the map for the chamber. Despite this partisan unanimity, stark divisions came about on the Board due to each member's own goals, ranging from incumbency protection to the expansion of minority representation. Each member's potential gubernatorial ambitions also underscored the debate. The Board eventually passed a map in a 4–1 vote, with Comptroller Bob Bullock dissenting.Bickerstaff, Heath 2020, pp. 104–107

The Senate maps passed by the Board were challenged by a lawsuit in Terrazas v. Clements.Bickerstaff, Heath 2020, pp. 107–110 Additionally, the Justice Department blocked both maps for violating the Voting Rights Act. Given the imminence of the March primary, the courts allowed the maps to be used for the 1982 elections. In 1983, the legislature adopted a modified version of the court's map. They addressed objections from the Justice Department and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, changing eight Senate districts but avoiding a full redrawing, which would have necessitated re-electing all senators. The courts approved the plan.Bickerstaff, Heath 2020, p. 110

Results

Republicans gained one seat from the Democrats, flipping the 26th district in San Antonio.Kingston 1985, p. 646 Cyndi Taylor Krier flipped the seat, becoming the first Republican and first woman from Bexar County ever elected the Senate. At the time, she was considered a progressive Republican due to her support of the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion rights.

Results by district +DistrictDemocraticRepublicanTotalResultVotes%Votes%Votes%District 1 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 287,23350.60%85,17149.40%172,404100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 3 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 4 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 8 - - -100.00% -100.00%Republican holdDistrict 9 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 14136,37359.42%93,13240.58%229,505100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 17 - - -100.00% -100.00%Republican holdDistrict 20 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 22 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 24 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 2660,07738.75%94,94561.25%155,022100.00%Republican gainDistrict 2899,67264.10%55,81635.90%155,488100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 30 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdDistrict 31 -100.00% - - -100.00%Democratic holdTotal – – – – –100.00% Source:Kingston 1985, p. 653–654

References

Further reading

Kingston, Mike (1985). Texas Almanac, 1986-1987. Dallas, Texas: The Dallas Morning News. . LCCN 10–3390. Bickerstaff, Steve. Heath, C. Robert (ed.). Gerrymandering Texas (2020).