Charles Stenholm
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2023) |
Charlie Stenholm | |
---|---|
Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee | |
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Kika de la Garza |
Succeeded by | Collin Peterson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 17th district | |
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Omar Burleson |
Succeeded by | Randy Neugebauer (Redistricting) |
Personal details | |
Born | Charles Walter Stenholm October 26, 1938 Stamford, Texas, U.S. |
Died | May 17, 2023 Granbury, Texas, U.S. | (aged 84)
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Tarleton State University Texas Tech University (BS, MS) |
Charles Walter Stenholm (October 26, 1938 – May 17, 2023) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician from a rural district of the state of Texas. After establishing himself as owner-operator of a large cotton farm, he entered politics and was elected to Congress in his first run for office. Stenholm was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives for 13 terms, representing Texas's 17th congressional district from 1979 to 2005.
He was known for his conservative social positions, helping garner conservative Democratic support for President Ronald Reagan's tax cuts in 1981, and gaining passage of a new farm bill in 2002 that doubled farm subsidies for Texas agribusiness. In 1992 he supported an amendment to require the federal government to have balanced budgets. He prioritized rural and agriculture issues and is considered one of the leading architects of federal farm policy.
After leaving Congress when defeated by a Republican in 2004, Stenholm stayed in Washington, DC. He worked as a lobbyist for food and agricultural interests, primarily with
Early life and education
Stenholm was born in 1938 in Ericksdahl, Texas (sometimes identified as Stamford), a farming community in Jones County that was settled in the early 20th century largely by Swedish immigrants, including his grandparents. His parents Lambert and Irene Constance Stenholm raised him on their plantation-scale, 2000-acre farm near Abilene. They cultivated mostly cotton as a commodity crop. After attending public schools, Stenholm graduated from Texas Tech University, with a B.S. (1961) and an M.S. (1962) in Agriculture Education. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Stenholm took over his family farm, raising cotton and also having a cattle ranch. He operated the large cotton farm in Stamford for many years. He also worked as a vocational teacher. He married Cynthia Watson and they had three children together.[1]
He began a career in agricultural politics when he was appointed to be member of the Texas State Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He also served as an executive of the Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association before being elected to Congress.[2]
Congressional career
Stenholm had gotten increasingly interested in politics. In 1965 he became a lobbyist for the Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association. In late 1978 longtime
Stenholm established a reputation as one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, and belonged to the Blue Dog Coalition. He was a leader of the Boll Weevils during the 1980s, and Chair of the Conservative Democratic Forum from 1981 until about 1993. In 1981, Stenholm was one of the more prominent Democratic supporters of Republican President Ronald Reagan's tax-cut package. A decade later, he said he regretted that support.[3]
Like many Texas politicians, Stenholm was conservative on certain social issues; he opposed both abortion and gun control. In 1990 he was one of three House Democrats who voted against the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.[4]
Stenholm frequently clashed with Democratic President
Agriculture policy
As a large farmer, Stenholm was chiefly interested in agriculture and also in budget matters. In 1992 he supported a
In addition, for eight years, Stenholm was ranking Democrat on the
Stenholm worked very closely with
Electoral success and demographic changes
Although the 17th's voters had begun splitting their tickets and voting Republican in presidential and U. S. Senate elections from the 1970s onward, the Republican Party had little support at the local level at the time. Conservative Democrats continued to hold most local offices in the 17th's footprint well into the 1990s. Proving this, Stenholm faced no major-party opposition from 1980 to 1990. He ran unopposed in 1980 and from 1984 to 1990. Notably, he was elected unopposed in years when Republican presidential candidates carried the 17th in landslides.
In 1994, however, Stenholm was held to 53 percent of the vote by a then relatively unknown Republican candidate, Phil Boone.
Reelection defeat
Stenholm was considered a major target of the Republican-dominated House in the
Stenholm chose to run in the reconfigured 19th. The new district contained 60 percent of Neugebauer's former territory, a disadvantage which Stenholm could not overcome, despite his 13 terms of seniority. He lost by 18 percentage points in the November 2004 election, gaining slightly more than 40 percent of the vote. To date, this is the only time since Combest claimed the 19th for the GOP in 1984 that a Democrat has garnered even 40 percent of the vote in the district.
Post-Congressional life
Some major news organizations mentioned Stenholm as a possible candidate for
After leaving Congress, Stenholm became a
From 2005, Stenholm was a senior policy advisor and lobbyist with
Stenholm was a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.[11] He also served on the board of directors of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.[12]
Stenholm later returned to Tarleton State University where he taught Agriculture Policy.
Death
Stenholm died at his home in Granbury, Texas, on May 17, 2023, at the age of 84.[1] Upon his death, many notable political leaders offered public tribute to Stenholm, including former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and the top leaders on the U.S. House and Senate committees on Agriculture.[2]
References
- ^ KTXS. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Jim Webster; Philip Basher (May 18, 2023). "Charlie Stenholm, Democratic architect of farm policy, dies at 84". Agri-Pulse Communications.
- ^ a b Hinds, Michael deCourcy (June 11, 1992). "The Texas Congressman Behind the Amendment/Charles Stenholm". New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ ADA rollcall.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-89608-706-4.
- ^ "Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm – D Texas, 17th, Defeated, Died, May 17, 2023 – Biography". LegiStorm. May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
- ^ Horn, Richard. Stenholm: I want to be more than one vote Archived March 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Abilene Reporter-News, September 22, 1996.
- ^ Stenholm as lobbyist for slaughterhouses. [dead link]
- ^ "Professional Directory". Olsson Frank Weeda. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
- ^ "Olsson, Frank & Weeda". Food & Drink Weekly. January 17, 2005.
- ^ "ReFormers Caucus – Issue One". 2023.
- ^ "Board Members – Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget".
External links
- United States Congress. "Charles Stenholm (id: S000851)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- "National Farmers Union presents leadership award", Southwest Farm Press, September 27, 2004. Accessed January 27, 2006
- Appearances on C-SPAN