1980 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas
← 1978 November 4, 1980 1982 →
All 24 Texas seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 20 4
Seats won 19 5
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 2,405,026 1,608,636
Percentage 59.1% 39.5%
Swing Increase 0.2% Decrease 1.2%
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The 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 4, 1980, to elect the members of the state of Texas's delegation to the United States House of Representatives. Texas had twenty-four seats in the House apportioned according to the 1970 United States census.[1]

These elections occurred simultaneously with the United States Senate elections of 1980, the United States House elections in other states, the presidential election, and various state and local elections.

Democrats maintained their majority of U.S. House seats from Texas, but they lost one seat to the Republicans, decreasing their majority to nineteen out of twenty-four seats on the coattails of president Ronald Reagan's election.[2][3]

Overview

1980 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[4]
Party Votes Percentage Seats before Seats after +/–
Democratic 2,405,026 59.11% 20 19 -1
Republican 1,608,636 39.54% 4 5 +1
Libertarian 52,820 1.30% 0 0 -
Independent 2,053 0.05% 0 0 -
Totals 4,068,535 100.00% 24 24 -

Congressional districts

District 1

See also: Texas's 1st congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Sam B. Hall ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 1st congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam B. Hall (incumbent) 137,665 100.00
Total votes 137,665 100
Democratic hold

District 2

See also: Texas's 2nd congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson ran for re-election.

Texas's 2nd congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Wilson (incumbent) 142,496 69.25
Republican F.H. Pannill 60,742 29.52
Libertarian Martin Sorrells 2,530 1.23
Total votes 205,768 100
Democratic hold

District 3

See also: Texas's 3rd congressional district

Incumbent Republican James M. Collins ran for re-election.

Texas's 3rd congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James M. Collins (incumbent) 218,228 79.29
Democratic Earle Stephen Porter 49,667 18.05
Libertarian William Stephen Briggs 7,339 2.67
Total votes 275,234 100
Republican hold

District 4

See also: Texas's 4th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Ray Roberts opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[2][5][6]

Texas's 4th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph M. Hall 102,787 52.26
Republican John Wright 93,915 47.74
Total votes 196,702 100
Democratic hold

District 5

See also: Texas's 5th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jim Mattox ran for re-election.

Texas's 5th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Mattox (incumbent) 70,892 50.99
Republican Thomas W. Pauken 67,848 48.80
Write-in Others 295 0.21
Total votes 139,035 100
Democratic hold

District 6

See also: Texas's 6th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Phil Gramm ran for re-election.

Texas's 6th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phil Gramm (incumbent) 144,816 70.88
Republican Buster Haskins 59,503 29.12
Total votes 204,319 100
Democratic hold

District 7

See also: Texas's 7th congressional district

Incumbent Republican Bill Archer ran for re-election.

Texas's 7th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Archer (incumbent) 242,810 82.12
Democratic Robert Hutchings 48,594 16.43
Libertarian Bill Ware 4,278 1.45
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 295,684 100
Republican hold

District 8

See also: Texas's 8th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Bob Eckhardt ran for re-election.

Texas's 8th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jack Fields 72,856 51.75
Democratic Bob Eckhardt (incumbent) 67,921 48.25
Total votes 140,777 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 9

See also: Texas's 9th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jack Brooks ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 9th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Brooks (incumbent) 103,225 99.66
Write-in Others 349 0.34
Total votes 103,574 100
Democratic hold

District 10

See also: Texas's 10th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat J. J. Pickle ran for re-election.

Texas's 10th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. J. Pickle (incumbent) 135,618 59.11
Republican John Biggar 88,940 38.77
Libertarian Michael Grossberg 4,866 2.12
Total votes 229,424 100
Democratic hold

District 11

See also: Texas's 11th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Marvin Leath ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 11th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marvin Leath (incumbent) 128,520 100.00
Total votes 128,520 100
Democratic hold

District 12

See also: Texas's 12th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jim Wright ran for re-election.

Texas's 12th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Wright (incumbent) 99,104 59.92
Republican Jim Bradshaw 65,005 39.30
Libertarian C.B. Mauldin 1,281 0.78
Total votes 165,390 100
Democratic hold

District 13

See also: Texas's 13th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Jack Hightower ran for re-election.

Texas's 13th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Hightower (incumbent) 98,779 55.00
Republican Ron Slover 80,819 45.00
Total votes 179,598 100
Democratic hold

District 14

See also: Texas's 14th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Joseph Wyatt opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[2][7]

Texas's 14th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Patman 93,884 56.77
Republican C.L. Concklin 71,495 43.23
Total votes 165,379 100
Democratic hold

District 15

See also: Texas's 15th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Kika de la Garza ran for re-election.

Texas's 15th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kika de la Garza (incumbent) 105,325 70.02
Republican Lendy McDonald 45,090 29.98
Total votes 150,415 100
Democratic hold

District 16

See also: Texas's 16th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Richard Crawford White ran for re-election.

Texas's 16th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Crawford White (incumbent) 104,734 84.64
Libertarian Catherine McDivitt 19,010 15.36
Total votes 123,744 100
Democratic hold

District 17

See also: Texas's 17th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Charles Stenholm ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 17th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles Stenholm (incumbent) 130,465 100.00
Total votes 130,465 100
Democratic hold

District 18

See also: Texas's 18th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Mickey Leland ran for re-election.

Texas's 18th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mickey Leland (incumbent) 71,985 79.90
Republican C.L. Kennedy 16,128 17.90
Libertarian Bill Fraser 1,983 2.20
Total votes 90,096 100
Democratic hold

District 19

See also: Texas's 19th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Kent Hance ran for re-election.

Texas's 19th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kent Hance (incumbent) 126,632 93.51
Libertarian J. D. Webster 8,792 6.49
Total votes 135,424 100
Democratic hold

District 20

See also: Texas's 20th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Henry B. González ran for re-election.

Texas's 20th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry B. Gonzalez (incumbent) 84,133 81.93
Republican Merle Nash 17,725 17.26
Libertarian Tom Burnham 846 0.82
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 102,685 100
Democratic hold

District 21

See also: Texas's 21st congressional district

Incumbent Republican Tom Loeffler ran for re-election.

Texas's 21st congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Loeffler (incumbent) 196,424 76.50
Democratic Joe Sullivan 58,425 22.76
Libertarian William Rice 1,895 0.74
Total votes 256,744 100
Republican hold

District 22

See also: Texas's 22nd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Ron Paul ran for re-election.

Texas's 22nd congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ron Paul (incumbent) 106,797 51.04
Democratic Michael A. Andrews 101,094 48.31
Independent Vaudie Nance 1,360 0.65
Total votes 209,251 100
Republican hold

District 23

See also: Texas's 23rd congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Abraham Kazen ran for re-election.

Texas's 23rd congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Abraham Kazen (incumbent) 104,595 69.83
Republican Bobby Locke 45,139 30.14
Write-in Others 46 0.03
Total votes 149,780 100
Democratic hold

District 24

See also: Texas's 24th congressional district

Incumbent Democrat Martin Frost ran for re-election.

Texas's 24th congressional district, 1980[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Martin Frost (incumbent) 93,690 61.29
Republican Clay Smothers 59,172 38.71
Total votes 152,862 100
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Historical Apportionment Data (1910-2020)". Census.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Texas State Historical Association (1981). "Texas Almanac, 1982-1983". The Portal to Texas History. The Dallas Morning News. p. 491. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  3. ^ Lyons, Richard L. (November 6, 1980). "House Democrats Retain Power, but With Limits". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Ladd, Thomas; Guthrie, Benjamin (April 15, 1981). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1980": 59–60. ((cite journal)): Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Reynolds, Larry (July 1990). "Congressional Golden Parachutes". Management Review. 79 (7): 5. Retrieved June 29, 2022 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  6. ^ Weil, Martin (April 15, 1992). "TEXAS REP. RAY ROBERTS, 79, DIES". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  7. ^ "Joseph Peyton Wyatt, Jr". The Victoria Advocate. April 10, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
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