Patricia Harless
From Ballotpedia
| Patricia Harless | ||
 | ||
| Texas State House, District 126 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| 2007 - Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 11, 2013 | ||
| Years in position | 5 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $7,200 | |
| Per diem | $150 per day | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 2, 2010 | |
| First elected | 2006 | |
| Next election | November 6, 2012 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
Contents |
Harless earned her BS in Business Management from LeTourneau University. She is the Chief Financial Officer and Owner of Fred Fincher Motors.
Harless is a member of The Lone Star College System Board, Patrons Chair and Young Women's Chair of the Texas Federation of Republican Women, and member of Northwest Forest Republican Women.[1]
Issue positions
On her website Harless lists some of her positions.[2]
- Education - supports "local control of our public schools and our children’s education and rewarding good teachers," "reducing the administrative burden on Texas Schools," "a parent’s right to opt out of a school if a child is in a failing education system," "teacher pay raises without raising taxes," and "Oppose unfunded state mandates on our public schools."
- Immigration - supports "Call upon the Governor to declare a state of emergency," "Work with law enforcement to deport illegal immigrants from the United States immediately," "Work with Texas’ Congressmen to fight for the passage of strong federal illegal immigration legislation."
She is pro life and defines marriage as "the union between one man and one woman."
Harless did not provide answers to the 2008 Political Courage Test. The test provides voters with how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected.[3]
Committee assignments
2011-2012
Patricia Harless serves on the following Texas House of Representatives committees:
- Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee
- Redistricting Committee
- State Affairs Committee
- Voter Identification and Voter Fraud, Select Committee
2009-2010
- Redistricting Committee, Texas House
- State Affairs Committee, Texas House
- Technology, Economic Development & Workforce Committee, Texas House
Sponsored legislation
- HB 404 - Relating to the enforcement of state and federal laws governing immigration by certain governmental entities.
- HB 622 - Relating to the suspension of certain licenses held by employers for the knowing employment of persons not lawfully present in the United States.
- HB 3618 - Relating to the use and management of dedicated funds by the state.[4]
Elections
2012
Harless is running in the 2012 election for Texas House of Representatives, District 126. The primary election takes place on May 29, 2012 and the general election takes place on November 6, 2012.[5]
2010
Harless won re-election in District 126. She was unopposed in the March 2 Republican primary and defeated Democrat Casey McKinney in the November 2 general election.[6]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 126 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Patricia Harless (R)
| 25,534 | 68.14% | ||
| Casey McKinney (D) | 11,983 | 31.85% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Harless won re-election to the Texas House of Representatives from the 126th District, receiving 32,748 votes ahead of Democrat Chad Khan (21,179) and Libertarian Oscar Palma, Jr. (1,204).[7] She raised $195,253 for her campaign; Khan raised $38,139.[8]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 126 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Patricia Harless (R)
| 32,748 | 59.40% | ||
| Chad Khan (D) | 21,179 | 38.41% | ||
| Oscar J. Palma, Jr. (L) | 1,204 | 2.18% | ||
2006
On November 4, 2006 Harless won election to the Texas House of Representatives from Texas's 117th District, defeating Chad Khan (D) and Oscar Palma, Jr. (L).[9]
Harless raised $529,914 for his campaign while Khan raised $235,447 and Palma raised $0.[10]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 117 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Patricia Harless (R)
| 18,112 | |||
| Chad Khan (D) | 9,114 | |||
| Oscar Palma, Jr (L) | 736 | |||
Campaign donors
2010
Harless raised a total of $209,018 in 2010. Below are her top 6 campaign contributors in the 2010 election:[11]
| Contributor | 2010 total |
|---|---|
| Perry, Bob J. | $10,000 |
| Buxton, Barbara | $5,000 |
| Independent Automobile Dealer's Association | $5,000 |
| Associated General Contractors of Texas | $5,000 |
| Texas House Republican Leadership Fund | $5,000 |
| Perry, Doylene | $5,000 |
2008
In the 2008 election, Harless raised a total of $195,253.[12]
Her five largest contributors in 2008 were:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Perry, Bob J | $25,000 |
| Smith, Judy | $10,000 |
| Texas Automobile Dealers Association | $5,000 |
| Vonberg, Mrs Valerie | $5,000 |
| Powell, Jackie | $5,000 |
2006
In the 2006 election, Harless raised a total of $529,914. [13]
Her five largest contributors in 2006 were:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Harless, Patricia | $48,362 |
| Texans for Lawsuit Reform | $33,889 |
| Fincher, Pearl | $20,000 |
| Perry, Bob J | $10,000 |
| 4 Donors, Each Donating $5,000[13] | $5,000 |
Scorecards
Empower Texans Fiscal Responsibility Index
Empower Texans produces the Fiscal Responsibility Index as "a measurement of how lawmakers perform on size and role of government issues." The index uses "exemplar votes on core budget and free enterprise issues that demonstrate legislators' governing philosophy."[14] Legislators are graded along a standard grading scale, receiving grades A through F based on their performance during the legislative session.
2011
Patricia Harless received a grade of C on the 2011 Fiscal Responsibility Index.
External links
- Patricia Harless's campaign website
- Patricia Harless House member page
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Official Campaign Contributions
- Follow The Money, Campaign Contributions: 2010, 2008, 2006
- Freedom Speaks profile
- Texas State Directory profile
- Texas Political Almanac HD 126 page
- Texas Tribune profile & bio
- Vote-TX.org profile
- State Surge profile
- Texas Conservative Coalition profile
- Patricia Harless on Facebook
- Patricia Harless on Twitter
References
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Rep. Harless
- ↑ Patricia Harless Taking A Stand
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Rep. Harless Issue Positions
- ↑ Texas Legislature - Bills Authored/Joint Authored by Rep. Harless
- ↑ Texas GOP list of candidates for 2012 Elections
- ↑ Official Texas Election Results
- ↑ Texas House official election results for 2008
- ↑ District 126 Texas House candidate funds, 2008
- ↑ Texas House official election results for 2006
- ↑ District 117 Texas House candidate funds, 2006
- ↑ Follow the Money - 2010 Campaign contributions
- ↑ Follow the Money - 2008 Campaign contributions
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Follow the Money - 2006 Campaign contributions
- ↑ Empower Texans, "Fiscal Responsibility Index"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' | Texas House District 126 2007–present | Succeeded by NA |
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