Texas Six Pack

The Texas Six Pack was a group of six freshmen Republican congressmen from Texas who were elected during the 1984 Ronald Reagan landslide victory over Walter Mondale. With their victories the Texas congressional delegation shifted from a 21-6 Democratic advantage to only 17–10.

Five of the six new congressmen would go on to long and powerful careers in Washington. Beau Boulter, Mac Sweeney and Dick Armey upset three incumbent Democratic congressmen. Larry Combest won an open seat being vacated by retiring Democrat, later Republican Kent Hance, while Joe Barton and Tom DeLay won seats vacated by retiring Republicans Phil Gramm and Ron Paul, respectively. For Sweeney, Combest, and Armey it was the first time their districts had ever elected a Republican to congress. Boulter relinquished his seat after two terms to wage an unsuccessful race against U.S. Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, who ran the same year for Vice President of the United States.

Texas's 6th congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Barton 131,482 56.60
Democratic Dan Kubiak 100,799 43.40
Total votes 232,281 100
Republican hold
Texas's 13th congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Beau Boulter 107,600 53.01
Democratic Jack Hightower (incumbent) 95,367 46.99
Total votes 202,967 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
Texas's 14th congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mac Sweeney 104,181 51.30
Democratic Bill Patman (incumbent) 98,885 48.70
Total votes 203,066 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
Texas's 19th congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Combest 102,805 58.13
Democratic Don Richards 74,044 41.87
Total votes 176,849 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
Texas's 22nd congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom DeLay 125,225 65.31
Democratic Doug Williams 66,495 34.68
Total votes 191,751 100
Republican hold
Texas's 26th congressional district, 1984[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dick Armey 126,641 51.25
Democratic Tom Vandergriff (incumbent) 120,451 48.75
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 247,094 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. Federal Elections 84 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Federal Election Commission. 1985. pp. 105–108.

Sources

  • The Almanac of American Politics 1986
  • Texas Monthly Dec 8, 1984


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