Martin Frost
Encyclopedia
Jonas Martin Frost III (born January 1, 1942) is an American politician
, who was the Democratic
representative to the U.S. House of Representatives
for Texas's 24th congressional district
from 1979 to 2005.
, Frost grew up in Fort Worth, Texas
. He graduated in 1964 with a bachelor's degree
s in journalism
and history
from the University of Missouri
. As a student, Frost was editor of The Maneater
, was a member of Zeta Beta Tau
, and was tapped by Omicron Delta Kappa
and QEBH
. He later received his Juris Doctor
degree from the Georgetown University Law Center
in 1970.
Before going to law school Frost worked as a newspaper
reporter
. Following his graduation he worked as a law clerk for Federal Judge
Sarah T. Hughes
of the Northern District of Texas
and began a private practice.
He was married to U.S. Army Major General (Retired) Kathryn Frost
until her death in 2006. He is now remarried.
in 1974. He tried again successfully in 1978, becoming the second Jewish U.S. congressman from Texas
, the first being David Spangler Kaufman. Frost was reelected 12 times without serious opposition.
On October 10, 2002, Martin Frost was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq
.
He served two terms as the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 1999 to 2003, the number three post in the Democrats' House leadership after the minority leader and minority whip. As Democratic Caucus Chair, Frost was often at odds with another prominent Dallas-area Congressman, Dick Armey
, who was the Republican House Majority Leader.
Due to term limits as Democratic Caucus Chair, Frost made a bid for Minority Leader after Dick Gephart resigned in the wake of losing four seats in the 2002 Congressional midterm elections, but Frost dropped out of the race and supported eventual winner Nancy Pelosi
. Frost is generally considered a centrist while Pelosi is liberal.
Frost was the ranking member of the House Rules Committee
during his last term in the House.
Due to his strong fundraising ability for fellow Democrats, and the fact that he led the 1991 redistricting in Texas, he was one of the targets of a controversial mid-decade redistricting
engineered by then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
. His district, which included portions of Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington
, was redrawn to be much more Republican
. Its portions of Fort Worth and Arlington were replaced with wealthier and more Republican territory around Dallas. While Al Gore
won the old 24th fairly handily in 2000, the new 24th would have given George W. Bush
a staggering 68 percent of the vote in that election. It was an open secret that the new 24th was redrawn for State Representative
Kenny Marchant
. Moreover, Frost's home in Arlington was shifted into the heavily Republican 6th District
, represented by 10-term incumbent Joe Barton
. Frost decided to seek re-election in the newly redrawn 32nd District
, which included a considerable amount of territory that he had represented from 1979 until 1993. He lost by 10 points to Republican Pete Sessions
. Since Ralph Hall
's party switch earlier in 2004, Frost had been the only white Democrat to represent a significant portion of the Metroplex.
. He dropped out of the race on February 1. On February 15, Frost was hired by FoxNews as a political commentator.
He is now an attorney at Polsinelli Shughart and president of America Votes
.
In a July 2011 op-ed regarding the debt ceiling crisis, Frost wrote, "We now have a group of U.S. politicians seeking political purity, who seem to have much in common with the Taliban. They are tea party members
".
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was the Democratic
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...
representative to the U.S. 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 Texas's 24th congressional district
Texas's 24th congressional district
Texas District 24 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a suburban area in between Fort Worth and Dallas in the state of Texas...
from 1979 to 2005.
Personal life
Born in Glendale, CaliforniaGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, Frost grew up in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. He graduated in 1964 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. As a student, Frost was editor of The Maneater
The Maneater
The Maneater student newspaper is the official, but independent, student-run newspaper of the University of Missouri. The Maneater editorial and advertising staffs are composed entirely of students with the exception of a professional business adviser and a receptionist. The newspaper has no...
, was a member of Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau was founded in 1898 as the nation's first Jewish fraternity, although it is no longer sectarian. Today the merged Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood is one of the largest, numbering over 140,000 initiated Brothers, and over 90 chapter locations.-Founding:The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was...
, and was tapped by Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...
and QEBH
QEBH
QEBH is a senior honor society at the University of Missouri. Founded in 1897, it is the oldest of six recognized secret honor societies on campus.-History:The society was founded in November 1897 by eight men...
. He later received his 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...
degree from the Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1970.
Before going to law school Frost worked as a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
reporter
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. Following his graduation he worked as a law clerk for Federal Judge
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah Tilghman Hughes was an American lawyer and federal judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States on Air Force One after the Kennedy assassination. She is the only woman in U.S...
of the Northern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is a United States district court. Its first judge, Andrew Phelps McCormick, was appointed to the court on April 10, 1879. The court convenes in Dallas, Texas with divisions in Fort Worth, Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo...
and began a private practice.
He was married to U.S. Army Major General (Retired) Kathryn Frost
Kathryn Frost
Major General Kathryn G. Frost was the commander of the United States Army and Air Force Exchange Service from August 2002 to April 2005. At the time of her retirement, she was the highest-ranking woman in the United States Army...
until her death in 2006. He is now remarried.
Political career
Frost ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the HouseUnited 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...
in 1974. He tried again successfully in 1978, becoming the second Jewish U.S. congressman from 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...
, the first being David Spangler Kaufman. Frost was reelected 12 times without serious opposition.
On October 10, 2002, Martin Frost was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
He served two terms as the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 1999 to 2003, the number three post in the Democrats' House leadership after the minority leader and minority whip. As Democratic Caucus Chair, Frost was often at odds with another prominent Dallas-area Congressman, Dick Armey
Dick Armey
Richard Keith "Dick" Armey is a former U.S. Representative from Texas's and House Majority Leader . He was one of the engineers of the "Republican Revolution" of the 1990s, in which Republicans were elected to majorities of both houses of Congress for the first time in four decades. Armey was...
, who was the Republican House Majority Leader.
Due to term limits as Democratic Caucus Chair, Frost made a bid for Minority Leader after Dick Gephart resigned in the wake of losing four seats in the 2002 Congressional midterm elections, but Frost dropped out of the race and supported eventual winner Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
. Frost is generally considered a centrist while Pelosi is liberal.
Frost was the ranking member of the House Rules Committee
United States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
during his last term in the House.
Due to his strong fundraising ability for fellow Democrats, and the fact that he led the 1991 redistricting in Texas, he was one of the targets of a controversial mid-decade redistricting
2003 Texas redistricting
The 2003 Texas redistricting refers to a controversial mid-decade congressional redistricting plan appealed to the United States Supreme Court in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry...
engineered by then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
. His district, which included portions of Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, was redrawn to be much more 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...
. Its portions of Fort Worth and Arlington were replaced with wealthier and more Republican territory around Dallas. While Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
won the old 24th fairly handily in 2000, the new 24th would have given 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....
a staggering 68 percent of the vote in that election. It was an open secret that the new 24th was redrawn for State Representative
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...
Kenny Marchant
Kenny Marchant
Kenny Ewell Marchant is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes several wealthy areas around Dallas and Fort Worth.-Early life, education and career:...
. Moreover, Frost's home in Arlington was shifted into the heavily Republican 6th District
Texas's 6th congressional district
Texas District 6 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves an area including four counties to the south of the Dallas/Fort Worth area plus the southeast corner of Tarrant County. As of the 2000 census, District 6 represents 651,620 people...
, represented by 10-term incumbent Joe Barton
Joe Barton
Joseph Linus "Joe" Barton is a Republican politician, representing in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
. Frost decided to seek re-election in the newly redrawn 32nd District
Texas's 32nd congressional district
Texas's 32nd congressional district of the United States House of Representatives serves a suburban area of northwestern Dallas, Texas. The district was created after the 2000 census when Texas went from 30 seats to 32 seats...
, which included a considerable amount of territory that he had represented from 1979 until 1993. He lost by 10 points to Republican Pete Sessions
Pete Sessions
Peter Anderson Sessions is a politician from the state of Texas. He is a Republican, and currently represents the 32nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the current Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee-Personal:Sessions was born in Waco,...
. Since Ralph Hall
Ralph Hall
Ralph Moody Hall is a United States Representative from . First elected in 1980, Hall is the chairman of the Science Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee...
's party switch earlier in 2004, Frost had been the only white Democrat to represent a significant portion of the Metroplex.
Retirement
In 2005, Frost was a candidate for chairman of the Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
. He dropped out of the race on February 1. On February 15, Frost was hired by FoxNews as a political commentator.
He is now an attorney at Polsinelli Shughart and president of America Votes
America Votes
America Votes is an American 527 organization whose mission is to build a permanent progressive campaign infrastructure. America Votes leads national and state-based coalitions to develop shared strategies that advance progressive policies, engage communities and increase voter turnout.America...
.
In a July 2011 op-ed regarding the debt ceiling crisis, Frost wrote, "We now have a group of U.S. politicians seeking political purity, who seem to have much in common with the Taliban. They are tea party members
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...
".