 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 24 Texas seats to theUnited States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The1972 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 7, 1972, to elect the members of the state of Texas's delegation to theUnited States House of Representatives.Texas had twenty-four seats in the House, up one from the 1960s, apportioned according to the1970 United States census.[1]
Texas Democrats maintained their governmental trifecta after the 1970 elections.[2] This gave the Democrats full control over theredistricting process.[3] TheTexas Legislature enacted its redistricting plan in 1971.[4] Residents of the6th,13th,16th, and19th congressional districts challenged the constitutionality of the maps inWhite v. Weiser, but the Supreme Court stayed the case until after the 1972 elections.[5]
These elections occurred simultaneously with theUnited States Senate elections of 1972, theUnited States House elections in other states, thepresidential election, and various state and local elections.
Democrats maintained their majority of U.S. House seats from Texas, butRepublicans gained one seat, putting their majority at twenty out of twenty-four seats.[6] This cycle saw the election ofBarbara Jordan, the firstAfrican American elected to the House from Texas, and the firstAfrican American woman everelected to the House.[7]
| 1972 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[8] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats before | Seats after | +/– | |
| Democratic | 2,032,183 | 70.42% | 20 | 20 | - | |
| Republican | 835,185 | 28.94% | 3 | 4 | +1 | |
| Socialist Workers | 17,412 | 0.60% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| American Independent | 1,169 | 0.04% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Totals | 2,885,949 | 100.00% | 23 | 24 | +1 | |
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas 1 | Wright Patman | Democratic | 1928 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Wright Patman (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 2 | John Dowdy | Democratic | 1952 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold. | √Charles Wilson (Democratic) 73.8% Charles O. Brightwell (Republican) 26.2% |
| Texas 3 | James M. Collins | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. | √James M. Collins (Republican) 73.3% George A. Hughes Jr. (Democratic) 26.7% |
| Texas 4 | Ray Roberts | Democratic | 1962 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Ray Roberts (Democratic) 70.2% James Russell (Republican) 29.8% |
| Texas 5 | Earle Cabell | Democratic | 1964 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain. | √Alan Steelman (Republican) 55.7% Earle Cabell (Democratic) 44.3% |
| Texas 6 | Olin E. Teague | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Olin E. Teague (Democratic) 72.6% Carl Nigliazzo (Republican) 27.4% |
| Texas 7 | William Reynolds Archer Jr. | Republican | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | √William Reynolds Archer Jr. (Republican) 82.3% Jim Brady (Democratic) 17.7% |
| Texas 8 | Robert C. Eckhardt | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Robert C. Eckhardt (Democratic) 64.6% Lewis Emerich (Republican) 34.7% Susan Ellis (Socialist Workers) 0.7% |
| Texas 9 | Jack Brooks | Democratic | 1952 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Jack Brooks (Democratic) 66.2% Randolph C. Reed (Democratic) 33.8% |
| Texas 10 | J. J. Pickle | Democratic | 1963 | Incumbent re-elected. | √J. J. Pickle (Democratic) 91.2% Mellissa Singler (Socialist Workers) 8.8% |
| Texas 11 | William R. Poage | Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent re-elected. | √William R. Poage (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 12 | Jim Wright | Democratic | 1954 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Jim Wright (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 13 | Bob Price Redistricted from the 18th district | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Bob Price (Republican) 54.8% Graham B. Purcell Jr. (Democratic) 45.2% |
| Graham B. Purcell Jr. | Democratic | 1962 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic loss. | ||
| Texas 14 | John Andrew Young | Democratic | 1956 | Incumbent re-elected. | √John Andrew Young (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 15 | Kika de la Garza | Democratic | 1964 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Kika de la Garza (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 16 | Richard C. White | Democratic | 1964 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Richard C. White (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 17 | Omar Burleson | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Omar Burleson (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 18 | None (district created) | New seat. New member elected. Democratic gain. | √Barbara Jordan (Democratic) 80.6% Paul Merritt (Republican) 18.2% Emmanuel Barrera (Socialist Workers) 1.2% | ||
| Texas 19 | George H. Mahon | Democratic | 1934 | Incumbent re-elected. | √George H. Mahon (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 20 | Henry B. Gonzalez | Democratic | 1961 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Henry B. Gonzalez (Democratic) 96.9% Steve Wattenmaker (Socialist Workers) 3.1% |
| Texas 21 | O. C. Fisher | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. | √O. C. Fisher (Democratic) 56.8% Doug Harlan (Republican) 43.2% |
| Texas 22 | Robert R. Casey | Democratic | 1958 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Robert R. Casey (Democratic) 70.2% Jim Griffin (Republican) 29.0% Frank Peto (Independent) 0.8% |
| Texas 23 | Abraham Kazen | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | √Abraham Kazen (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Texas 24 | None (district created) | New seat. New member elected. Democratic gain. | √Dale Milford (Democratic) 65.1% Courtney G. Roberts (Republican) 34.9% | ||
