Joan Kelly Horn
Encyclopedia
Joan Kelly Horn is an American
politician
from Missouri
. She served one term in the United States House of Representatives
representing Missouri's 2nd congressional district
in suburban St. Louis
. She is a Democrat
.
She was elected to Congress in 1990, upsetting incumbent
Republican
Jack Buechner
by 54 votes. Earlier in 1990, the Democratic-controlled Missouri state legislature approved a new congressional district map that was intended to preserve heavy Democratic majorities
in the two districts that included St. Louis itself — the 1st, represented by Democrat Bill Clay
and the 3rd, represented by then-House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt
. In the process, the legislature shifted most of the heavily Democratic areas of the 2nd to the 1st and 3rd.
However, the new map had been drawn well before the elections, and no one had anticipated Horn's upset win over Buechner. Horn realized the new map put her in serious electoral trouble, and asked that the map be redrawn, even requesting a sliver of St. Louis. However, Clay and Gephardt turned her down. In November 1992, Horn was narrowly defeated by Republican State House Minority Leader Jim Talent
. She was badly defeated in a rematch against Talent in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from 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...
. She served one term in 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...
representing Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's second congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state, primarily consisting of the suburbs north and west of St. Louis.Its current representative is Republican Todd Akin of Town and Country.-List of representatives:...
in suburban St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. She is a 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...
.
She was elected to Congress in 1990, upsetting incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
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...
Jack Buechner
Jack Buechner
John William "Jack" Buechner is an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri. A Republican, Buechner served in the United States House of Representatives for Missouri's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 1991...
by 54 votes. Earlier in 1990, the Democratic-controlled Missouri state legislature approved a new congressional district map that was intended to preserve heavy Democratic majorities
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
in the two districts that included St. Louis itself — the 1st, represented by Democrat Bill Clay
Bill Clay
William Lacy "Bill" Clay, Sr. is a politician from the state of Missouri. As Congressman from Missouri's First District, he represented portions of St. Louis in the U.S. House of Representatives for 32 years....
and the 3rd, represented by then-House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt
Dick Gephardt
Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt is a lobbyist and former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. Gephardt served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from January 3, 1977, until January 3, 2005, serving as House Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995, and as Minority Leader from 1995 to...
. In the process, the legislature shifted most of the heavily Democratic areas of the 2nd to the 1st and 3rd.
However, the new map had been drawn well before the elections, and no one had anticipated Horn's upset win over Buechner. Horn realized the new map put her in serious electoral trouble, and asked that the map be redrawn, even requesting a sliver of St. Louis. However, Clay and Gephardt turned her down. In November 1992, Horn was narrowly defeated by Republican State House Minority Leader Jim Talent
Jim Talent
James Matthes "Jim" Talent is an American politician and former senator from Missouri. He is a Republican and resided in the St. Louis area while serving in elected office. He identifies with the conservative wing of the Republican party, being particularly outspoken on judicial appointments,...
. She was badly defeated in a rematch against Talent in 1996.