Jeff Wentworth

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Jeff Wentworth
Member of the Texas Senate
from the 25th district
In office
1997–2013
Preceded by William "Bill" Sims
Succeeded by Donna Campbell
Member of the Texas Senate
from the 26th district
In office
1993–1997
Preceded by Cyndi Taylor Krier
Succeeded by Gregory Luna
State Representative from Texas District 123 (Bexar County)
In office
May 11, 1988 – January 12, 1993
Preceded by Kae T. Patrick
Succeeded by Frank J. Corte, Jr.
Personal details
Born (1940-11-20) November 20, 1940 (age 84)
Mercedes, Hidalgo County
Texas, USA
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Karla Wentworth
Residence San Antonio, Texas
Alma mater Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
Profession Attorney

Earl Jeffrey Wentworth, known as Jeff Wentworth (born November 20, 1940), is a Republican former member of the Texas Senate from San Antonio. He represented District 25 in the upper legislative chamber from January 1997 to January 2013. In addition, from 1993 to 1997, he represented District 26, having been initially elected to the state senate in 1992 to succeed fellow Republican Cyndi Taylor Krier, when she became the county judge of Bexar County. District 25 included northern portions of Bexar County, all of Comal, Guadalupe, Hays, and Kendall counties, and a part of southern Travis County.[1][2]

From 1988 to 1993, Wentworth was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 123. He won a special election on May 7, 1988, called when the Republican Representative Kae T. Patrick of San Antonio resigned in his fourth term.

In 2012, Wentworth was defeated in his bid for re-nomination. In the Republican primary runoff held on July 31, he lost to Tea Party candidate Donna Campbell, who amassed 45,292 votes (66.2 percent) to Wentworth's 23,168 (33.8 percent).[3][4]

Biography

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. A fourth-generation Texan, Wentworth was born in Mercedes in Hidalgo County in south Texas. At the time of his defeat for the Texas Senate in 2012, he was serving his seventh term. From 2004 to 2005, he was the Senate president pro tem. On November 20, 2004, he was "Governor for a Day".

Wentworth was the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Open Government and serves on the Select Committee on Redistricting; Higher Education; Administration; Transportation and Homeland Security; and Intergovernmental Relations committees. He is a member of the board of directors of both the Natural Resources Foundation of Texas and of the Center for Public Policy and Political Studies at Austin Community College.

Wentworth's public service prior to the Texas Legislature includes one year as a university system regent, six years as a county commissioner, two years as a city attorney, three years as a congressional assistant, and three years' active duty as a counterintelligence officer in the United States Army from 1962 to 1965. Earlier, Wentworth worked as a newspaper carrier, television station copy boy, waiter, dishwasher, library clerk, and a taxicab driver.

A 1958 graduate of Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Wentworth earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962 from Texas A&M University in College Station. After his military service, he was an assistant from 1966 to 1968 and 1971 to 1972 to the late Republican United States Representative Bob Price of Pampa, Texas.

Wentworth worked as a general assignments reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal for a year and then as an assistant to the Lubbock County Attorney while he was pursuing a degree at Texas Tech University School of Law. Wentworth served as vice president of his high school student body, senior class officer in college, and president of his law school student body. In addition, he was the national president of the law student division of the American Bar Association. In 2000, Wentworth was named the "Distinguished Alumnus" of Texas Tech University School of Law.

Wentworth is a member of the National Executive Committee of the Council of State Governments. He is chairman of the board of trustees of the 21st Century Foundation of the Council of State Governments and served from 2008 to 2009 as the chairman of the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference. He is a member of the board of trustees of the American Council of Young Political Leaders.

A practicing attorney, Wentworth is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and the San Antonio Bar Foundation. He is admitted to practice law in both Texas and the District of Columbia.

Wentworth and his wife Karla, a licensed professional interior designer, have two sons, Jason and Matthew Wentworth. After his term in the state Senate, Wentworth was appointed to the position of Precinct 3 justice of the peace by the Bexar County Commission.[5]

In the Republican primary for the District 25 seat in the state Senate in 2002, state Republican chairman Susan Weddington, who normally remained neutral in primary contests, openly backed Wentworth's unsuccessful conservative opponent, then State Representative John Shields of San Antonio. Weddington became involved because of Wentworth's support for abortion.[6]

Election history

Senate election history of Wentworth.[7]

Most recent election

2012

Republican primary, 2012: Senate District 25[8]
Candidate Votes % ±%
✓ Donna Campbell 45,292 66.15%
Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 23,168 33.84%
Majority
Turnout 68,460

2010

Texas general election, 2010: Senate District 25[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 192,965 82.17 not reported
Libertarian Arthur Maxwell Thomas, IV 40,972 17.44 not reported
Independent Eric R. Anderson 885 0.37 not reported
Democratic No candidate on ballot 0 0 not reported
Turnout 234,822 not reported not reported

Previous elections

2006

Texas general election, 2006: Senate District 25[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 132,872 58.32 -8.41
Democratic Kathleen "Kathi" Thomas 84,816 37.23 +7.03
Libertarian James R. "Bob" Thompson 10,137 4.45 +1.38
Majority 48,056 21.09 -15.45
Turnout 227,825 +11.14
Republican hold

2002

Texas general election, 2002: Senate District 25[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 136,802 66.73 -20.70
Democratic Joseph "Joe" P. Sullivan 61,899 30.20 +17.63
Libertarian Rex Black 6,293 3.07 +3.07
Majority 74,903 36.54 -38.32
Turnout 204,994 -36.86
Republican hold
Republican primary, 2002: Senate District 25[12]
Candidate Votes % ±%
John H. Shields 25,265 48.83
✓ Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 26,481 51.17
Majority 1,216 2.35
Turnout 51,746

2000

Texas general election, 2000: Senate District 25[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 283,857 87.43 -12.57
Libertarian George Meeks 40,806 12.57 +12.57
Majority 243,051 74.86 -25.14
Turnout 324,663 +45.11
Republican hold

1996

Texas general election, 1996: Senate District 25[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 223,739 100.00 +24.97
Majority 223,739 100.00 +46.58
Turnout 223,739 +5.10
Republican hold
Republican primary, 1996: Senate District 25[15]
Candidate Votes % ±%
Randy Staudt 24,930 29.54
✓ Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 59,476 70.46
Majority 34,546 40.93
Turnout 84,406

1994

Texas general election, 1994: Senate District 25[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Saunders 53,152 24.97 -26.78
Republican Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent)[17] 159,729 75.03 +26.78
Majority 106,577 50.06 +46.58
Turnout
Republican gain from Democratic
Republican primary, 1994: Senate District 25[18]
Candidate Votes % ±%
Van Archer 21,341 39.66
✓ Jeff Wentworth (Incumbent) 32,473 60.34
Majority 11,132 20.69
Turnout 53,814

1992

Texas general election, 1992: Senate District 26[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Carlos Higgins 73,303 33.40
Republican Jeff Wentworth 146,159 66.60
Majority 72,856 33.20
Turnout 219,462
Republican hold
Republican primary runoff, 1992: Senate District 26[20]
Candidate Votes % ±%
Alan Schoolcraft 10,388 47.30 [21]+12.59
✓ Jeff Wentworth 11,574 52.70 +18.98
Majority 1,186 5.40
Turnout 21,962
Republican primary, 1992: Senate District 26[22]
Candidate Votes % ±%
Jim Canady 1,547 3.71
John Fisher 7,222 17.30
George Boyd Pierce 4,407 10.56
✓ Alan Schoolcraft 14,490 34.71
✓ Jeff Wentworth 14,076 33.72
Turnout 41,742

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ San Antonio Express-News, November 21, 2012
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Uncontested primary elections are not shown.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Wentworth was the District 26 incumbent prior to the 1994 Senate redistricting.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Change from primary election
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from District 123 (San Antonio)
1988 – 1993		 Succeeded by
Frank Corte, Jr.
Texas Senate
Preceded by Texas State Senator
from District 26 (San Antonio)
1993 – 1995		 Succeeded by
Gregory Luna
Preceded by Texas State Senator
from District 25 (San Antonio)
1995 - 2013		 Succeeded by
Donna Campbell
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Texas Senate
20 April 2004–11 January 2005		 Succeeded by
Florence Shapiro
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