Richard Raymond (Texas politician)

Richard Peña Raymond (born October 27, 1960) 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 sits on the House Committees of Civil Practices and Criminal Jurisprudence. In 2005, he announced that he would run for Congress in 2006, against fellow Democrat Henry Cuellar, who currently holds the seat for the 28th Congressional District. However, Raymond decided against challenging Cuellar and ran for reelection to his state House seat instead. He defeated former Webb County Judge Mercurio "Merc" Martinez, Jr., in a hard-fought Democratic primary runoff.

In 1998, Raymond gave up his previous House seat when he resided in Benavides in order to challenge the Republican candidate for land commissioner, David Dewhurst. Dewhurst easily won the election for the right to succeed Democratic Land Commissioner Garry Mauro of Bryan.

On the day of the inauguration of George W. Bush as president, Raymond won a special election in Webb County to succeed Henry Cuellar in the state House of Representatives. He defeated a multi-candidate field of Democrats, including Carlos Ygnacio "C.Y." Benavides, III, a Laredo-area businessman, who in 2006 ran unsuccessfully for Webb County judge.

Before politics

Raymond was born in Alice, the seat of Jim Wells County, and reared in Benavides. He graduated from Benavides High School. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a bachelor of arts degree, majoring in government with a minor in history. He and his wife Michelle have three children: Aren, Eva, and Ryan. Raymond is a cousin of Webb County District Attorney Joe Rubio, Jr.

Raymond is considered a liberal Democrat who is often at odds with the Texas state Republican leadership. He filed the lawsuit opposing the 2003 congressional redistricting plan adopted by the states' Republican majority. In 2006, the United States Supreme Court, with the Ronald Reagan appointee Justice Anthony Kennedy providing the swing vote, ordered changes in the plan which proved favorable to Texas Democrats changes in the mid-term elections.

In 2007, Raymond participated unsuccessfully in a "coup" attempt against Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, a Midland Republican.

Election history

Most recent election

2006

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 2006: House District 42 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2006 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 12,787
percentage = 100.00
change =Election box majority
votes = 12,787
percentage = 100.00
change = -52.86Election box turnout
votes = 12,787
percentage =
change = -52.86Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

Previous elections

2006

Election box begin no party
title=Democratic Party Primary Runoff Election, 2006: House District 42 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2006 Democratic Party Primary Runoff Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate no party with winner
winner =
candidate = Mercurio Martinez, Jr.
votes = 6,456
percentage = 42.24
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 8,828
percentage = 57.76
change = Election box turnout no party
votes = 15,284
percentage =
change =

Election box begin no party
title=Democratic Party Primary Election, 2006: House District 42 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2006 Democratic Party Primary Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Mercurio Martinez, Jr.
votes = 7,650
percentage = 32.89
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner =
candidate = Sergio Mora
votes = 3,048
percentage = 12.87
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner =
candidate = Jose “Rudy” Ochoa
votes = 1,184
percentage = 5.00
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 11,806
percentage = 49.84
change = Election box turnout no party
votes = 23,688
percentage =
change =

2004

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 2004: House District 42 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2004 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 27,123
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 27,123
percentage = 100.00
change = +0.60Election box turnout
votes = 27,123
percentage =
change = +0.60Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

2002

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 2002: House District 42 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 2002 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 26,961
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 26,961
percentage = 100.00
change = +16.77Election box turnout
votes = 26,961
percentage =
change = +16.77Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

2001

Election box begin
title=Special Election, 20 January 2001: House District 42, Unexpired [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = Special Election State Representative District 42 | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Carlos Ygnacio “Cy” Benavides
votes = 2,409
percentage = 18.63
change =Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Javier H. Martinez, Jr.
votes = 1,743
percentage = 13.48
change =Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Maria Elena Morales
votes = 1,676
percentage = 12.96
change =Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 7,090
percentage = 54.83
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Mickey
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = None of the Above
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = George Bush
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Donald Duck
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Jerry Garza
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Joe Guerra
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Mike Kazen
votes = 3
percentage = 0.02
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 2
percentage = 0.02
change =Election box candidate
party= Write-In
candidate = L.A. Tadro
votes = 1
percentage = 0.01
change =Election box majority
votes = 26,961
percentage = 100.00
change = Election box turnout
votes = 12,930
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1998

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1998: Land Commissioner [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1998 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Republican Party (US)
candidate = David Dewhurst
votes = 2,072,604
percentage = 57.42
change = +10.22Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 1,438,378
percentage = 39.85
change = -10.34Election box candidate with party link
party= Libertarian Party (US)
candidate = J. Manuel “Monte” Montez
votes = 98,321
percentage = 2.72
change = +0.12Election box majority
votes = 634,226
percentage = 17.57
change = +510.04Election box turnout
votes = 3,609,303
percentage =
change = -13.29Election box gain with party link no swing
winner = Republican Party (US)
loser = Democratic Party (US)

1996

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1996: House District 44 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1996 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 26,942
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 26,942
percentage = 100.00
change = Election box turnout
votes = 26,942
percentage =
change = +23.55Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1994

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1994: House District 44 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1994 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 21,443
percentage = 100.00
change = 0.00Election box majority
votes = 21,443
percentage = 100.00
change = Election box turnout
votes = 21,443
percentage =
change = -26.50Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1992

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1992: House District 44 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1992 General Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 29,174
percentage = 100.00
change =Election box majority
votes = 29,174
percentage = 100.00
change = Election box turnout
votes = 29,174
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

Election box begin no party
title=Democratic Party Primary Runoff Election, 1992: House District 44 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1992 Democratic Party Primary Runoff Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate no party with winner
winner =
candidate = Tom Cate
votes = 4,781
percentage = 31.65
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 10,322
percentage = 68.35
change = Election box turnout no party
votes = 15,103
percentage =
change =

Election box begin no party
title=Democratic Party Primary Election, 1992: House District 44 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1992 Democratic Party Primary Election | accessdate = 2006-12-18 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Tom Cate
votes = 9,706
percentage = 39.83
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner =
candidate = Alberto T. Martinez
votes = 6,714
percentage = 27.55
change = Election box candidate no party with winner
winner = ✓
candidate = Richard Raymond
votes = 7,945
percentage = 32.60
change = Election box turnout no party
votes = 24,365
percentage =
change =

Notes

References

* [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist42/raymond.htm Official biography, Texas House of Representatives]
* [http://www.richardraymond.com/index.htm Richard Raymond campaign website]