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Hope and the House THERE IS HOPE for the Texas House of Representatives. There must be hope. Of course, some of us also hope that Rice University will see a post-season bowl game again. But in this legislative Babble-On, where Democrats nominally hold a 91-59 majority, Republicans generally are able to join with conservative Democrats to block progressive legislation. Pete Laney, an affable Hale Center conservative Democrat, will return as Speaker. In his first session as Speaker he stacked committees dealing with business and the environment with industry advocates nothing unusual there but he generally is respected for supporting rules reforms and allowing all sides to have their say before they get hung out to dry. As for the membership, 11 Democrats will be gone, including David Cain of Dallas, Yvonne Navarro Flores and Mario Gallegos of Houston and Mike Martin of Galveston, who are running for the Texas Senate \(Flores and Earley of Portland, who is running for the Railroad Commission; and Wilhehnina Delco of Austin, Al Granoff of Dallas, Libby Linebarger of Manchaca, Jim Rudd of Brownfield, Sue Schechter of Houston and Garfield Thompson of Fort Worth, who are not seeking elective office. Four Republicans are giving up their seats, including Robert Eckels of Houston, who is running for Harris County Judge, and Ashley Smith and Dalton Smith, both of Houston, and Jack Vowell of El Paso, who are not seeking elective office. The filings left 44 Democrats unopposed for reelection and 31 Republicans unopposed. includes: District 1: Barry B. Telford, D-DeKalb*. District 2: Tom Ramsay, D-Mount Vernon*. District 3: Pete Patterson, Brookston*, faces Lydia Bryant, Sulphur Springs business manager, in Democratic primary. Ken McKim of Windom filed as a Republican. District 4: Keith Oakley, D-Terrell*, unopposed in Democratic primary, faces Republican Jerry Speight of Greenville. District 5: Bob Glaze, D-Gilmer*, unopposed in primary, faces Republican Lance Lenz of Van in November. District 6: Ted Kamel, R-Tyler*, faces Democrat Randy Hanson of Tyler in November. District 7: Jerry Yost, R-Longview*. District 8: Paul Sadler, D-Henderson*. District 9: Jerry K. Johnson, D-Nacogdoches*. District 10: Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie*. District 11: Elton Bomer, D-Montalba*. District 12: Clyde Alexander, D-Athens*. District 13: Dan Kubiak, D-Rockdale*. District 14: Steve Ogden, R-College Station*. District 15: Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands*. District 16: Bob Rabuck, R-Conroe*. District 17: Billy Clemons, D-Pollok*, faces Republican David Youngblood of Lufkin in November. District 18: Allen Ross Hightower, DHuntsville*, faces Republican Earl Carter of Huntsville in November. District 19: Ron Lewis, D-Mauriceville*. District 20: Zeb Zbranek. D-Winnie*. District 21: Mark Stiles, D-Beaumont*. District 22: Al Price of Beaumont* faces a Democratic primary challenge from Stella Morrison, a Port Arthur lawyer who narrowly lost to him in 1992, and Fernando Ramirez of Port Arthur. District 23: Patricia Gray, D-Galveston*, faces Republican Robin Fontenot of Clear Lake Shores in November. District 24: In the seat given up by Democrat Mike Martin, the Democratic primary features Louis Decker of Texas City, Craig Eiland and Deborah January-Bevers, both of Galverston, and Jack Smith and Seth Winick, both of Dickinson. The winner will face Republican Jerry Purdon Jr. in November. District 25: Jack Harris, R-Pearland*. District 26: Jim Tallas of Sugarland* faces Charlie Howard of Sugarland in the Republican primary. The winner faces Democrat Len Goff of Missouri City in November. District 27: Huey McCoulskey of Richmond* faces Harry Johnson of Missouri City in the Democratic primary. District 28: Robert Saunders, D-LaGrange*. District’29: Tom Uher, D-Bay City*. District 30: Steve Holzheauser, R-Victoria*. District 31: With Democrat Robert Earley running for Railroad Commission, the Democratic primary to replace him has drawn Dario Bargas Jr., Sinton lawyer, Judy Hawley, a teacher in Portland, and Fletcher Kelly, a Sinton engineer. The Republican primary drew Nathan East of Portland and Wil Galloway of Beeville. District 32: Todd Hunter, D-Corpus Christi*. District 33: Vilma Luna, Corpus Christi*, faces Arnold Gonzales Jr. in the Democratic primary; Mary Salisbury, Corpus Christi political consultant, filed as a Republican in her third try for the seat. District 34: Hugo Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi*. District 35: Irma Rangel of Kingsville* drew Tomas Sanchez Jr. of Kingsville in the Democratic primary. District 36: Sergio Munoz of Mission* drew Katus Blakey in the Democratic primary. District 37: Rene Oliveira of Brownsville* faces Philip Cowen in the Democratic primary. District 38: Jim Solis, D-Harlingen*. District 39: Renato Cuellar, D-Weslaco*. District 40: Eddie De La Garza of Edinburg* faces Hector Villareal of Edinburg in the Democratic primary. The winner faces Republican Mary Ann Rios of Edinburg. District 41: Roberto Gutierrez, D-McAllen*. District 42: Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo*. District 43: Pete Nieto of Uvalde*, who switched to the Republican Party, will face the winner of the Democratic primary among Tracy 0. King of Uvalde, Roy Luevano of Uvalde and Rene Agustine Salas Trevino of Carrizo Springs. District 44: Richard Raymond, D-Benavides*. District 45: Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin*. District 46: In the race to replace Democrat Libby Linebarger, the Democratic primary drew Chuck Sellers, Dripping Springs, insurance company manager; Alec Rhodes of Dripping Spring and Charles Soechting of San Marcos. District 47: Susan Combs, R-Austin*. District 48: Sherri Greenberg of Austin* seeking a third term, is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Burgess Beall in November. District 49: Elliott Naishtat, Austin*, is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Delmar Hager. District 50: In the east Austin race to replace Wilhelmina Delco, the Democratic primary drew Jason Justice, Dawnna Dukes and Todd Seidenschwarz. Republican Elton Singer will face the winner. District 51: Glen Maxey of Austin* is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Dick Mallory of Del Valle. District 52: Mike Krusee of Austin* drew a GOP primary challenge from Georgetown Mayor Leo Wood; Llorente Navarrette of Georgetown filed as a Democrat. District 53: Harvey Hilderbran, Kerrville*, faces Cynthia Long, Cedar Park, in the Republican primary. The winner faces Democrat John J.B. Miller of Kerrville. District 54: Layton Black, D-Goldthwaite*. District 55: Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple*. District 56 Kip Averitt, R-Waco*. District 57: In the Democratic primary, Betty Denton, Waco* \(under indictment on charge of reporting fictitious campaign contributions, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor perin 1992. Barbara Rusling, China Spring real estate agent, filed as a Republican. District 58: First-term Rep. Bernard Erickson of Burleson switched to the Democratic Party. He will face Arlene Wohlgemuth of Cleburne, the Johnson County Republican Chair. District 59: Allen Place, D-Gatesville*. District 60: John Cook, D-Breckenridge*. District 61: Ric Williamson, Weatherford*, switched to the GOP and was welcomed with a primary challenge from David Kubosh of 4 JANUARY 28, 1994