Jim Turner (politician)

Infobox Congressman
name = Jim Turner


state = Texas
district = 2nd
party = Democrat
term = 1997–2005
preceded = Charles Wilson
succeeded = Ted Poe
date of birth = Birth date and age|1946|2|6|mf=y
place of birth = Fort Lewis, Washington
spouse = Ginny Turner
current occupation =

James "Jim" Turner (born February 6, 1946), American politician, was the Democratic representative for the Texas 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 until 2005.

Turner was born in Fort Lewis, Washington, but grew up in Crockett, Texas. He received a bachelor's degree in business, and simultaneously earned an MBA and a J.D., all from the University of Texas at Austin. Following graduation, he enlisted in the army, and practiced law after eight years of military life.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Turner held several state and local offices. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1981 to 1984, mayor of Crockett, Texas from 1989 to 1991, and a member of the Texas State Senate from 1991 to 1996. He also served as aide to Texas Governor Mark White for two years.

After 2nd district congressman Charlie Wilson, who was known for his role in funding the resistance to Afghanistan's Communist government, decided not to run for an eleventh term, Turner won the Democratic nomination to succeed him and was handily elected in November 1996. He was reelected three times with no substantive opposition. Congressman Turner was a member of the Armed Services Committee, and was the ranking minority member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. A fiscally conservative Democrat, Turner was a member of both the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition.

In 2003, Turner was one of the targets of a highly controversial redistricting engineered by Tom DeLay. The Texas Legislature dismantled his district, which covered a large portion of East Texas stretching from Lufkin to the suburbs of Houston, and split its territory among three districts. The largest portion was shifted to the 8th District, represented by Republican Kevin Brady, who had been elected the same year as Turner. While Turner had represented more of the new 8th than Brady, most of the 8th's vote was cast in heavily Republican Montgomery County. His home in Crockett was thrown into the Fort Worth/Arlington-based 6th district, an even more Republican area represented by ten-term incumbent Joe Barton. Believing he had no realistic chance of staying in Congress, Turner decided not to run for a fifth term in 2004. He was briefly mentioned as a candidate for governor of Texas or the United States Senate seat of Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2006.

He has two children, John and Susan, both attorneys, with his wife Ginny.

Election history

1994

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1994: Senate District 5 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1994 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-02 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Jim Turner (Incumbent)
votes = 82,541
percentage = 55.99
change = -44.01Election box candidate with party link
party= Republican Party (US)
candidate = Jerry T. Thornton
votes = 64,875
percentage = 44.01
change = +44.01Election box majority
votes = 17,666
percentage = 11.98
change = -88.02Election box turnout
votes = 147,416
percentage =
change = +9.30Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

1992

Election box begin
title=Texas general election, 1992: Senate District 5 [cite web | url = http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe | title = 1992 General Election | accessdate = 2007-01-02 | publisher = Office of the Secretary of State (Texas)] Election box candidate with party link
party= Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Jim Turner (Incumbent)
votes = 134,875
percentage = 100.00
change =Election box majority
votes = 134,875
percentage = 100.00
change =Election box turnout
votes = 134,875
percentage =
change =Election box hold with party link no swing
winner = Democratic Party (US)

References