Rick Noriega

Infobox Senator
name= Rick Noriega


state2=Texas
state_house2=Texas
district2=145th
term_start2=1998
preceded2=
succeeded2=Incumbent
party=Democratic
date of birth=birth date and age|1958|1|8
place of birth=
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Melissa
residence=Houston, Texas
alma_mater=University of Houston, Harvard University
religion=

Richard Joel "Rick" Noriega (born January 8, 1958) is a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He is also the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn. [ [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-ussenate_05pol.ART.State.Edition2.46a563a.html Noriega avoids runoff in Senate bid; Cornyn wins easily] Robert T. Garrett, "Dallas Morning News", March 5, 2008] Noriega is married to Melissa Noriega, a member of the Houston City Council, a nominally nonpartisan position. The couple has two sons.

Early life and education

Noriega was born and raised in Houston. [ [http://www.chron.com/news/politics/mypolitics.html?prox=/civic/candidates/5002 Rick Noriega Profile] Houston Chronicle] After graduating from high school and joining the Army, Noriega graduated from the University of Houston in 1984 and from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1990.

Military service

Noriega joined the United States Army in 1979 in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis. He became a Lt. Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, and most recently served in the War in Afghanistan that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On his return from Afghanistan, Mayor Bill White requested that Noriega command the evacuee shelter operation at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston, where he oversaw thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Public service

Noriega was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1998 and has since served five terms. He currently acts as the Budget and Oversight Chair of the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee. Rick also sits on the Appropriations Committee.

2008 U.S. Senate campaign

Noriega narrowly avoided a runoff election by receiving 51% of the vote in the March 4, 2008 Democratic Primary. His opponents were Gene Kelly, Ray McMurrey, and Rhett Smith. Prior to the filing deadline, trial attorney Mikal Watts withdrew from his bid for the Democratic nomination on October 23, 2007. [http://wattsforsenate.com/page/content/race/ Statement from Mikal Watts] October 23, 2007] Noriega will face the Republican nominee, the incumbent John Cornyn, who has not seen approval ratings above 50% since 2005. cite web|url=http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollTrack.aspx?g=3478c82b-c958-4d76-bbb1-8d52710ab2e6 |title=Survey USA TX Jr Sen Approval |accessdate=2007-12-09 ]

Election Results

2006 State House 145

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 7,773
percentage = 100.00%
change = +0.00%

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 784
percentage = 100.00%
change = +0.00%

2004 State House 145

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 15,160
percentage = 100.00%
change = +0.00%

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 2,044
percentage = 100.00%
change = +0.00%

2002 State House 145

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 11,087
percentage = 100.00%
change = +28.57%

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 3,315
percentage = 100.00%
change = +0.00%

2000 State House 145

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 12,158
percentage = 71.43%
change = +4.31%Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Michael Bunch
votes = 4,863
percentage = 28.57%
change = -4.31%

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 1,381
percentage = 100.00%
change = +40.93%

1998 State House 145

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 6,405
percentage = 67.12%
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Michael Bunch
votes = 3,137
percentage = 32.88%
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Rick Noriega
votes = 1,192
percentage = 59.07%
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Ben Mendez
votes = 488
percentage = 24.18%
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John Ray Harrison
votes = 213
percentage = 10.56%
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Jamie Bray
votes = 95
percentage = 4.71%
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Mark Sandoval
votes = 30
percentage = 1.49%
change =

Issues

Economy

Noriega has proposed a comprehensive plan to help struggling families keep their homes during the 2008 economic downturn, focusing on revamping bankruptcy law, increased funding of counseling for struggling homeowners, and a tax credit of $2000 for homeowners who refinance into a fixed-rate loan. He also proposes funding to allow homeowners to refinance into FHA (Federal Housing Administration) backed loans, which generally provide lower rates of interest than private commercial loans.

Domestic security and immigration

Noriega served the National Guard as commander of the Laredo sector during Operation Jump Start, which deployed approximately 18,000 Guardsmen to the US/Mexico border in 2006 to provide increased border security until an improved immigration reform package could be approved on Capitol Hill. Noriega has focused on curtailing human trafficking and drug smuggling at the border, and is calling for more advanced surveillance technology to be deployed at the border as well as for more Guardsmen to be deployed there. Noriega opposes the use of a border fence to curb illegal immigration and trafficking. [ [http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/WireHeadlines/2008/08/07/senate-candidate-noriega-lays-out-immigr-27.php Senate candidate Noriega lays out immigration plan] "Texarkana Gazette", August 7, 2008]

Noriega also authored HB 2546, a bill passed by the Texas legislature that restricts the sale of ammonium nitrate in order to prevent its use in criminal or terrorist activity such as the Oklahoma City bombing. [ [http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/doc/HB02546E.doc H.B. No. 2546] "Texas State Legislature"]

References

External links

* [http://www.ricknoriega.com/ Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate] official campaign website
* [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist145/noriega.htm Biography] from the Texas House of Representatives
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=TXS1&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org
*dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Texas/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Candidates_and_Campaigns/US_Senate/Rick_Noriega_%5bD%5d