Killer D's
Encyclopedia
The Killer Ds are a group of Texas House
Democrats
who left Texas
for Ardmore
, Oklahoma
during the week of May 12, 2003. The Killer Ds left to prevent House consideration of the redistricting legislation
that would have benefited Texas Republicans
. The Texas Constitution requires 100 representatives, or two-thirds of the 150-member House, to conduct business in the lower chamber. The absence of 52 House Democrats prevented Republican passage of the redistricting plan during the 2003 regular session.
, who fled the state in August 2003 for the same reasons.
.
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...
Democrats
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...
who left 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...
for Ardmore
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Ardmore is a business, cultural and tourism city in and the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 24,283, while a 2007 estimate has the Ardmore micropolitan statistical area totaling 56,694 residents...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
during the week of May 12, 2003. The Killer Ds left to prevent House consideration of the redistricting legislation
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...
that would have benefited Texas Republicans
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...
. The Texas Constitution requires 100 representatives, or two-thirds of the 150-member House, to conduct business in the lower chamber. The absence of 52 House Democrats prevented Republican passage of the redistricting plan during the 2003 regular session.
Texas Eleven
The Killer Ds were followed by a group of 11 Senators, called the Texas ElevenTexas Eleven
The Texas Eleven were a group of Texas Senate Democrats who fled Texas for Albuquerque, New Mexico for 46 days in 2003 aimed at preventing the passage of controversial redistricting legislation that was intended to benefit Texas Republicans. A group of Texas House representatives, dubbed the Killer...
, who fled the state in August 2003 for the same reasons.
History
The moniker "Killer Ds" alludes to the Killer Bees, twelve liberal Democratic Texas Senators who busted a quorum during the 1979 regular session to prevent a vote on a presidential primary bill favorable to Republican John ConnallyJohn Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...
.
List of Killer Ds
The "Killer Ds" are:- Roberto R. AlonzoRoberto R. AlonzoRoberto R. Alonzo is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 104th District since 1993.-External links:* official TX House website* profile*Follow the Money - Roberto R. Alonzo** campaign contributions...
(DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) - Kevin E. Bailey (HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Lon M. BurnamLon BurnamLon Maxwell Burnam is the Texas state representative for Texas House district 90, which encompasses downtown Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Burnam, a Democrat, serves as the executive director of the Dallas Peace Center....
(Fort WorthFort Worth, TexasFort 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...
) - Gabriella Canales (AliceAlice, TexasAt the 2000 census, there were 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 per square mile . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 588.0 per square mile...
) - Jaime Capelo (Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
) - Joaquín CastroJoaquín CastroJoaquín Castro is an American politician from San Antonio, Texas. Castro is a representative in the Texas Legislature representing District 125. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Higher Education Committee and is a member of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee...
(San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Garnet F. ColemanGarnet ColemanGarnet F. Coleman is a U.S. politician and a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 147 since 1991. He is the son of John B. Coleman, M.D...
(HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Robert L. (Robby) Cook 3d (Eagle LakeEagle Lake, TexasEagle Lake is a city in southeastern Colorado County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,664 at the 2000 census. It is home to a golf course, the largest private lake in Texas, and the Eagle Lake Regional Airport, which services light aircraft....
) - Yvonne DavisYvonne DavisYvonne Davis is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 111th District since 1992.-External links:* official TX House website* profile*Follow the Money - Yvonne Davis** campaign contributions...
(DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) - Joseph D. (Joe) Deshotel (BeaumontBeaumont, TexasBeaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
) - Dawnna M. Dukes (AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
) - James R. (Jim) Dunnam (WacoWaco, TexasWaco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
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- A. Craig EilandCraig EilandAllen Craig Eiland is a Democratic member and former Speaker pro Tempore of the Texas House of Representatives. Eiland represents Texas House district 23, which includes Galveston, Jamaica Beach, Texas City and the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County and all of Chambers County.Prior to...
(GalvestonGalveston, TexasGalveston 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...
) - Dan EllisDan EllisDaniel Ellis is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League...
(HuntsvilleHuntsville, TexasHuntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....
) - Juan M. Escobar (KingsvilleKingsville, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 25,575 people, 8,943 households, and 6,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,848.8 people per square mile . There were 10,427 housing units at an average density of 753.8 per square mile...
) - David L. FarabeeDavid FarabeeDavid Lee Farabee is a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 69...
(Wichita FallsWichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
) - Jessica Cristina FarrarJessica FarrarJessica Christina Farrar is a United States politician and an incumbent in the Texas House of Representatives. She is currently serving her 9th term as the representative from District 148, located in Houston, TX...
(HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Pete P. GallegoPete GallegoPete P. Gallego is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 74th District since his election in 1990.He serves as on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials and is a former Chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus...
(AlpineAlpine, TexasAlpine is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.-History:...
) - Timoteo Garza (Eagle PassEagle Pass, TexasEagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
) - Ryan GuillenRyan GuillenRyan Guillen is the Texas State Representative for House District 31, which includes Starr, Duval, Zapata, and southern Webb counties. A Democrat and native of Starr County, Guillen was first elected in 2002....
(Rio Grande CityRio Grande City, TexasRio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,834 at the 2010 census. The city is 41 miles west of McAllen. It is the hometown of former Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq, General Ricardo Sanchez. The city also holds the March record...
) - L. Scott HochbergScott HochbergScott Hochberg is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 137 in southwest Houston. The district includes Gulfton, Sharpstown, Briarmeadow, Shenandoah, Piney Point, and nearby communities....
(HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Gladys E. (Terri) Hodge (DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) - Mark S. HomerMark S. HomerMark Homer is a conservative Democratic politician and businessman from Paris, Texas who is the Texas State Representative for District 3 of the Texas House of Representatives. Hopkins, Titus, Franklin, Delta, Lamar and Red River Counties are in District 3...
(ParisParis, TexasParis, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived...
) - Charles L. Hopson 2dChuck HopsonCharles L. Hopson, II, known as Chuck Hopson , is a pharmacist and businessman in Jacksonville, Texas, who has been since 2001 a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 11, which includes Cherokee, Houston, Panola and Rusk counties in the northeastern portion of his...
(JacksonvilleJacksonville, TexasJacksonville is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical...
) - Jesse W. Jones (DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) - James E. (Pete) LaneyPete LaneyJames E. "Pete" Laney is a U.S. Democratic Party politician from West Texas. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives for 34 years from Hale Center . Laney served as Speaker for ten years from 1993 to 2003, a record matching that set by his predecessor, fellow Democrat Gibson D...
(Hale CenterHale Center, TexasHale Center is a city in Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,263 at the 2000 census. Hale Center is near the county seat of Plainview.Hale Center is located at ....
) - John P. Mabry, Jr.John P. MabryJohn Porter Mabry, Jr. is a Texas politician who served as a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives during the Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature...
(WacoWaco, TexasWaco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
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- F.F. (Trey) Martinez Fischer 3d (San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Ruth Jones McClendon (San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - James M. (Jim) McReynolds (LufkinLufkin, TexasLufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
) - José A. MenéndezJose MenendezTexas State Representative, District 124, Jose Menendez - born Jose Antonio Menendez in San Juan, Texas.Rep. Menendez has been a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2001. Prior to his service in the State House, Rep...
(San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Joe E. Moreno (HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Paul C. MorenoPaul MorenoPaul C. Moreno was a Democratic state representative from El Paso, Texas. He was born in 1931 and grew up in “El Segundo Barrio” of El Paso. After high school he served six years in the U.S. Marine Corp and saw combat in the Korean War. He then received his BBA from the University of Texas El Paso...
(El PasoEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
) - Elliott Naishtat (AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
) - Richard J. (Rick) NoriegaRick NoriegaRichard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn...
(HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Rene O. Oliveira (BrownsvilleBrownsville, TexasBrownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
) - Dora F. OlivoDora OlivoDora F. Olivo was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 27th District since 1997. She was defeated in the 2010 Democratic Party primary on March 2 by Ron Reynolds, a local attorney.-External links:...
(Missouri CityMissouri City, TexasMissouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
) - L. Aaron Peña, Jr.Aaron PeñaAaron Peña, Jr. , is a member of the Texas House of Representatives from a district in Hidalgo County in far South Texas. In November 2002, he was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat. He is serving his fifth term in office. Representative Peña is an attorney in private...
(EdinburgEdinburg, TexasEdinburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,100 at the 2010 census. The University of Texas–Pan American, the only fully accredited four-year university in the Rio Grande Valley, is located in Edinburg.Edinburg is part of the...
) - Joseph C. (Joe) PickettJoe PickettJoseph C. “Joe” Pickett is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 79th District. Pickett has represented the El Paso County district since 1995. He also wrote a children's book called "Margo the Weird Cat."...
(El PasoEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
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- Robert R. Puente (San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Inocente (Chente) Quintanilla (TornilloTornillo, TexasTornillo is a census-designated place and border town in El Paso County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,609 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Richard E. RaymondRichard Raymond (Texas politician)Richard Peña Raymond is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. He currently represents District 42, which encompasses western Webb County and includes most of the city of Laredo. He is Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and is also a member of the Border...
(LaredoLaredo, TexasLaredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
) - Allan B. Ritter (NederlandNederland, TexasNederland is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,547 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Port Arthur, which serves the nearby cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
) - Eduardo R. (Eddie) Rodriguez (AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
) - Patrick M. RosePatrick RosePatrick Michael Rose was a Texas Democratic politician, who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from House District 45 which comprises Blanco, Caldwell and Hays counties in Central Texas from 2002–2010...
(Dripping SpringsDripping Springs, TexasDripping Springs is a city in Hays County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,548 at the 2000 census; it was 1,828 in the 2008 census estimate....
) - José S. (Jim) Solis (HarlingenHarlingen, TexasHarlingen is a city in Cameron County in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, United States, about from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city covers more than , and is the second largest city in Cameron County and the sixth largest in the Rio Grande Valley...
) - Barry B. Telford (DeKalb)
- Senfronia P. ThompsonSenfronia ThompsonSenfronia Calpernia Thompson is a well-known civil rights leader and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 141st District since 1972....
(HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - Carlos I. UrestiCarlos UrestiCarlos Ismael "Charlie" Uresti is a prominent San Antonio attorney practicing throughout the State of Texas in the areas of Family Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Litigation, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death. As a Democrat, he is a member of the Texas State Senate representing Senate District 19...
(San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Michael U. VillarrealMike VillarrealMichael U. “Mike” Villarreal is an American state politician serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from a district centered in north central San Antonio...
(San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan 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,...
) - Miguel D. Wise, Jr. (WeslacoWeslaco, TexasWeslaco is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,670 at the 2010 census. Weslaco derives its name from the W.E. Stewart Land Company...
) - Steven D. Wolens (DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
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External links
- Scott Gold, May 13, 2003 Outgunned, Texas Democrats Vamoose Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. - The Killer Ds and the media: framing the coverage from Austin to Ardmore Dissertation by chief of staff of Jim Dunnam