Wayne Christian

Wayne Christian
Texas State Representative from District 9 (Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties)
In office 2007–2013
Preceded by	Roy Morris Blake, Jr.
Succeeded by	Chris Paddie
In office 1997–2005
Preceded by	Jerry Kenneth Johnson
Succeeded by	Roy Morris Blake, Jr.
Personal details
Born	September 26, 1950 Center, Shelby County Texas, USA
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Lisa Ruth Lemoine Christian (married 1975)
Children	Liza, Lindsey, and Lauren
Parents	James E. and Tommie Nura Christian
Alma mater	Tenaha High School Stephen F. Austin University
Occupation	Financial planner
Religion	Southern Baptist

Wayne Christian (born September 26, 1950)^[1] is a financial planner from Center, Texas, who is a Republican former multi-term member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 9, which included Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties in East Texas.^[2]

Background

Christian is the son of James E. Christian and the former Tommie Nura. His family roots in Shelby County date back four generations. He was born in Center but raised in nearby Tenaha, where he attended public schools and graduated as valedictorian of his 1969 graduating class at Tenaha High School. According to his website, in 1975 he married the former Lisa Ruth Lemoine of nearby Shelbyville. The couple has three daughters: Liza, Lindsey, and Lauren.^[3]

Wayne Christian Financial Services office is near the Shelby County Courthouse in Center, Texas.

A financial planner, Christian is an agent of Woodbury Financial Services.^[4] He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, where he minored in marketing.^[5]

Political life

The conservative Christian, strongly pro-life, is the former president of the Texas Conservative Coalition, a bipartisan caucus of conservative legislators. He was also a board member of the Texas TEA Party Caucus. During his tenure in the legislature, Christian was heavily involved in energy and oil and gas issues, serving on the Energy Resources Committee and as Vice Chairman of the Regulated Industries Committee.^[6] He also served as Vice Chairman of the Criminal Jurisprudence committee and on the Ways and Means Committee.

Throughout his years as a member of the Texas House, Christian received numerous awards for his conservative voting record. In 1997, he was named "Outstanding Freshman Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Republican Caucus. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility designated him a "Taxpayer Hero" and "Taxpayer Champion".^[7] He was formerly named "National Legislator of the Year" by the conservative interest group, the American Legislative Exchange Council. The Texas Association of Business named him "Fighter for Free Enterprise."^[8] Young Conservatives of Texas presented Christian with their "Torch of Freedom Lifetime Achievement Award."^[9] Vision America named Christian, who is of the Baptist denomination, a "Hero of the Faith."^[10] The Texas County Extension Service named him "Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture." The Texas branch of Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum presented him with its "Freedom and Family Award" and also recognized Christian as one of the sixteen "most conservative" members of the legislature, out of a total of 181 members who serve in both legislative chambers. In the 80th legislative session, Mike Hailey's Capitol Insider declared Christian's voting record to be "100 percent conservative."^[3]

During the 82nd Legislature, Christian was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by Texas Conservative Digest, and scored a 100 percent conservative rating on the Texas Eagle Forum scorecard, as well as an A+ rating from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, an interest group founed by Michael Quinn Sullivan. During the session, Christian worked on lingering issues such as the future of power plants in East Texas, issues surrounding the exploration and production of natural gas in the Haynesville Shale, and settling the 30-year water level problems of Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Sabine River, located on the Texas/Louisiana border.^[3]

Christian won his initial term in the State House in 1996 with less than 51 percent of the general election vote, making him the first Republican elected in deep East Texas since reconstruction. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for the United States House of Representatives for the seat now held by fellow Republican Louie Gohmert of Tyler. In 2007, Christian returned to the Texas House after a two-year absence. He unseated freshman Representative Roy Morris Blake, Jr., of Nacogdoches in the March 2006 Republican primary, and Christian was unopposed in the following general election.^[5]

In 2009, a controversial amendment sponsored by fellow Republican, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton passed the Texas House, allowing Christian and a handful of neighbors on the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston to rebuild houses destroyed by Hurricane Ike. The measure easily passed the legislature with almost no objection. Governor Rick Perry let the bill, and subsequently the Hamilton amendment, become law without his signature. The measure was strongly opposed by then Commissioner of the General Land Office Jerry E. Patterson, who vowed not to enforce the measure.^[11] Christian denied that the amendment was at odds with the Texas Open Beaches Act or an environmental interference but argued that it reflected the right of property owners to use their property as they deem appropriate. The Texas Supreme Court has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the private property protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment.^[11]

2012 defeat

Under the 2012 redistricting plan for the Texas House, Christian's home in Center was placed in a district in which approximately 80 percent of the constituents were new to him. He was one of several senior House Republicans who were either paired with other members of their party or relocated into largely new population districts. These members blamed Speaker Joe Straus, a Moderate Republican from San Antonio, for redrawing their district lines to their disadvantage. In both 2009 and 2011, Christian and much of the East Texas delegation unsuccessfully opposed the election of Straus as Speaker.^[12][13]

Christian was unseated in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012 by the Straus-endorsed Chris Paddie, 8,552 votes (47.8 percent) to 9,327 ballots (52.2 percent).^[14]

Candidacy for Texas Railroad Commission

Christian ran unsuccessfully for the Texas Railroad Commission in the Republican runoff election held on May 27, 2014. He lost to intraparty challenger Ryan Sitton, an oil and natural gas engineer from Friendswood, who polled 398,652 (57.3 percent). Christian trailed with 297,654 (42.7 percent).

The incumbent commissioner, Barry Smitherman, vacated the seat in January 2015 because he ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general in the March 4 primary election.^[15]

Christian led the four-candidate primary field with 501,820 votes (42.7 percent), the exact percent he received two months later in the lower-turnout runoff election. Sitton trailed Christian in the first round of balloting, having polled 358,827 (30.5 percent). Two other candidates, geologist Becky Berger of Schulenburg and businessman Malachi Boyuls of Dallas, polled 197,805 votes (16.8 percent) and 117,121 (10 percent), respectively.^[16] Berger subsequently endorsed Sitton in the runoff.

Coincidentally, both Christian and Sitton lost state legislative races in 2012; Christian in a reconfiguted district to Chris Paddie and Stitton in a runoff contest with fellow Republican Greg Bonnen in Galveston County.^[17]

Sitton went on to beat the Democratic nominee, Steve Brown, an African-American businessman from Houston, who defeated petroleum engineer and former candidate Dale Henry in their party primary.^[18]

In 2016, Christian ran again for the commissioner spot held by David J. Porter, who decided not to seek re-election to a second term. Christian finished second among seven candidates with 408,629 votes (19.8 percent) in the Republican primary on March 1. Conservative businessman Gary Gates of Richmond, Texas, led the balloting with 586,253 votes (28.4 percent). The remaining 51.8 percent, a majority of the voters, was held by the five other candidates, the strongest of whom was Ron Hale, with 303,427 votes (14.7 percent).^[19]

In December 2015, Christian temporarily suspended his campaign to care for his elderly mother but was soon back soliciting supporters.^[20] He is endorsed by the political action committee, Texas Patriots Tea Party.^[21] Christian and Gates now meet in a runoff election on May 24 to determine the Republican nominee. Democrats will also hold a runoff contest the same day to select their candidate for the position. One of the Democratic candidates, Lon Burnam of Fort Worth, a former legislative colleague of Christian's, was eliminated in the primary though he was considered better known that the two remaining Democratic candidates.

References

1. Legislative Reference Library
2. "Wayne Christian for State Representative". waynechristiancampaign.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
3. "About Wayne Christian". waynechristiancampaign.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
4. "Wayne Christian & Associates". waynechristian.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
5. "Wayne Christian". texastribune.org. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
6. Texas Legislature Online - Committee Membership
7. Rep. Wayne Christian Receives Endorsement From Texans For Fiscal Responsibility
8. The Texas Tribune - Bio of Wayne Christian
9. Rep. Christian Receives YCT 2011 Torch of Freedom Award
10. "Dr. Jerry Falwell to Speak in Lufkin and Nacogdoches". msget.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
11. "Danny Yadron, "Post-Hurricane Ike amendment would let legislator rebuild," June 5, 2009". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
12. "A Word from James White". whiteforeasttexas.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
13. "Nacogdoches County Republicans Meeting Today, June 28, Tune in today and hear U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert". everythingnac.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
14. "Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012". enr.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
15. "Texas Digest: Wayne Christian announces for railroad commissioner; feds nix Texas waiver to reduce tests for high-performing students". Austin American Statesman. September 9, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
16. "Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
17. "20012 Republican runoff election returns (House District 24)". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
18. "David Barer, "Railroad Commission primary: Brown wins Democratic side, Christian and Sitton heading to Republican runoff", March 4, 2014". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
19. "Republican primary returns". Texas Secretary of State. March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
21. "Endorsements: Railroad Commissioner". texaspatriotspac.com. Retrieved February 21, 2016.