State Senate District 3

by: SADem

Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 02:53 AM CST

While we have to first elect Ciro to Congress and then Anthony DiNovo to the State House, the third Special Election to come up will be for Todd Staples' District 3 seat in the State Senate. (There is no special election in SD-3- see comments)

He wasn't challenged by a Democrat in 2002, but his 2000 result (which included 1 county no longer in his district) was

Staples 152,514
David Fisher (D) 98,976

The district covers all or part of 16 counties: Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Henderson, Jasper, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, and Tyler.  The current district no longer has Panola County.

Some of the larger cities in the 3rd are (population in district follows city):
Palestine  17,598
Lufkin  32,709
Jacksonville  13,868
Athens  11,297
Conroe  36,808
Nacogdoches  29,914

Some of the smaller cities include:
Diboll  5,470
Rusk  5,085
Lumberton  8,731
Silsbee  6,393
Gun Barrel City  5,145
Jasper  8,247
Livingston  5,433
West Livingston CDP  6,612
Center  5,678

The district covers all or part of 10 State House districts:
HD 4, Betty Brown, Republican
HD 6, Leo Berman, Republican
HD 8, Byron Cook, Republican
HD 9, Wayne Christian, Republican
HD 11, Chuck Hopson, Democrat
HD 12, Jim McReynolds, Democrat
HD 15, Rob Eissler, Republican
HD 16, C. Brandon Creighton, Republican
HD 17, John Otto, Republican
HD 19, Mike Hamilton, Republican

And since the State Reps wouldn't have to give up their seat (at least I don't think they would) this could turn into a crowded contest, especially if some of the 8 Republican State Reps decide to jump in.  Should Hopson or McReynolds run and then risk opening up their State House seats to Republicans should one of them win?  Or what about former Democratic State Rep. Dan Ellis (lost in '04)?