Gregory Luna

Gregorio "Gregory" Luna^[1] (17 November 1932 – 6 November 1999) was a San Antonio, Texas politician who served as a Democrat in both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate for the 14 years from 1985 to 1999. While in the legislature, Luna was considered to be a "champion of education".^[2] He was also one of the founders of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and served four terms as board chair.^[3]

Early life

Luna was born to Eliseo and Elvira Luna in New Braunfels, Texas,^[4] the youngest of their eight children.^[5] When Gregory was seven months old, Eliseo Luna died and, shortly afterward, the family moved to San Antonio.Also brother of Federico Luna a civil rights activist in New Braunfels who fought discrimination in the 1940s^[6] While growing up, Luna worked as a restaurant bus boy, a grocery-store sacker and in the mailroom at the San Antonio Express.^[7]

At 21, after attending San Antonio College briefly,^[8] Luna enlisted in the United States Army and served a short stint, advancing to the rank of corporal.^[9] After his service, he joined the San Antonio Police Department. While an officer, Luna attended night classes and graduated from Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts in math and St. Mary's University School of Law with a law degree. While an officer, Luna also helped train police officers in Venezuela as part of a U.S. government program. Luna began his law career as a prosecutor for the City of San Antonio, and opened a started a private law practice in 1968.^[10]

Luna married Helen Garcia 21 August 1955 and had two sons and two daughters.^[11]

Political career

In 1969, Luna unsuccessfully ran for Justice of the Peace in Bexar County.^[12] In 1982, he ran for the District 116 Texas House seat, losing to Joe A. Gamez in the Democratic Party primary election.^[13] In 1984, Luna sought the same House seat again, this time successfully. He represented San Antonio from 1985 to 1993 in the Texas House.

In 1992, when then-state Senator Frank Tejeda opted to make a run for U.S. Congress, Luna sought Tejeda's senate seat in District 19. He defeated the Republican challenger, auto dealer Ernesto Ancira for the four-year term.^[14]

A Democratic redistricting plan (which also altered district numbering) necessitated all state senators to run for reelection in 1994,^[15] and as a result, Luna faced an unsuccessful challenge from Republican Andrew Longaker for the remaining two years of his term, this time in District 26.^[16] In 1996, Luna again fended off a challenge from Longaker, this time for a four-year term.^[17]

Luna missed most of the regular session of the 76th Legislature due to ill health. He was ailing from complications related to diabetes, which eventually required the amputation of both his legs.^[18] Citing his ill health, Luna resigned his senate seat on 24 September 1999.^[19] Luna died peacefully after midnight 6 November 1999 at a hospice inpatient center in San Antonio, where he had been for three weeks.^[20] He was buried in the Texas State Cemetery on 9 November 1999.^[21]

Luna is honored by the Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council through the Senator Gregory Luna Legislative Scholar and Fellows Program which places college students with members of the Texas Senate to gain leadership experience.^[22]

Election history

Senate election history of Luna.^[23]

Most recent election

1996

Texas general election, 1996: Senate District 26[24]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Andrew Longaker	41,298	32.46	-4.26
	Democratic	Gregory Luna (Incumbent)	85,922	67.54	+4.26
Majority			44,624	35.07	+8.51
Turnout			127,220
	Democratic hold

Previous elections

1994

Texas general election, 1994: Senate District 26[25]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Gregory Luna (Incumbent)[26]	55,799	63.28
	Republican	Andrew Longaker	32,375	36.71
Majority			23,424	26.56
Turnout			88,174
	Democratic gain from Republican

1992

Texas general election, 1992: Senate District 19[27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Gregory Luna	86,742	50.94
	Republican	Ernesto Ancira	76,967	45.20
	Libertarian	James "Ted" Bonnet	6,551	3.84
Majority			9,775	5.54
Turnout			176,260
	Democratic hold

References

1. Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Records (1932-11-17). "Birth Certificate for Gregorio Luna" (Third party index of birth records for Comal County). Rootsweb.com. Retrieved 2007-01-04. External link in |publisher= (help)
2. Associated Press: Ex-Sen. Luna remembered as a champion of education. 10 November 1999. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1999_3176866 (accessed 27 November 2006.)
3. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
4. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
5. Texas Senate News: Sen. Luna rests among legends. 9 November 1999. http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/archives/Arch99/p110999a.htm (accessed 27 November 2006).
6. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
7. Associated Press: Ex-Sen. Luna remembered as a champion of education. 10 November 1999. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1999_3176866 (accessed 27 November 2006.)
8. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
9. Associated Press: Ex-Sen. Luna remembered as a champion of education. 10 November 1999. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1999_3176866 (accessed 27 November 2006.)
10. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
11. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
12. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Sen. Gregory Luna. http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
13. The Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council bio (http://www.tshrc.org/senluna.html) states Luna lost the election. Gamez served one term as a Democrat, so Luna most likely lost in the Democratic primary.
14. Office of the Secretary of State. 1992 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)
15. Ratcliffe, R.G. 6 April 1993. Houston Chronicle: GOP loses map flap over Senate districts. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1993_1121636 (accessed 27 November 2006).
16. Office of the Secretary of State. 1994 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)
17. Office of the Secretary of State. 1996 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)
18. Associated Press: San Antonio's Luna, ex-state senator, dies. 7 November 1999. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1999_3176866 (accessed 27 November 2006.)
19. Texas Senate News: Texas Senator Gregory Luna Resigns. 24 September 1999. http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Archives/Arch99/p092499a.htm (accessed 27 November 2006.)
20. Associated Press: San Antonio's Luna, ex-state senator, dies. 7 November 1999. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1999_3176866 (accessed 27 November 2006.)
21. Texas Senate News: Sen. Luna rests among legends. 9 November 1999. http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/archives/Arch99/p110999a.htm (accessed 27 November 2006).
22. Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council: Senator Gregory Luna Legislative Scholar and Fellows Program http://www.tshrc.org/program.html (accessed 27 November 2006).
23. Uncontested primary elections are not shown.
24. Office of the Secretary of State. 1996 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)
25. Office of the Secretary of State. 1994 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)
26. Luna was the District 19 incumbent prior to the 1994 Senate redistricting.
27. Office of the Secretary of State. 1992 General Election. http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe (accessed 27 November 2006)