Kyle Janek

Kyle Janek
Member of the Texas Senate from the 17th district
In office 2003–2008
Preceded by	J. E. "Buster" Brown
Succeeded by	Joan Huffman
Personal details
Born	January 10, 1958 (1958-01-10) Galveston, Texas, USA
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Shannon
Residence	Houston, Harris County, Texas
Alma mater	Texas A&M University; University of Texas
Profession	Anesthesiologist
Religion	Episcopalian

Kyle Janek, M.D. (born January 10, 1958), is a former Republican member of the Texas Senate, having represented District 17 from 2003 until June 2, 2008. The district includes portions of Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Jefferson counties. Janek was not a candidate for renomination to the state Senate in the Republican primary held on March 4.

Janek resigned the seat, and Governor Rick Perry called a special election to coincide with the regular November 4 general election to fill the two years remaining in the term. Republican Joan Huffman, a former felony court judge from Houston and Democrat Chris Bell, a former U.S. representative who was Perry's 2006 election opponent, led the field and went into a December 16 runoff. Huffman ultimatedly prevailed, 56-44 percent. She becomes the sixth woman serving in the state Senate.

Biography

An anesthesiologist by training, Janek has served in the Texas Legislature as a Republican since 1994. He received an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1983 and has since practiced medicine. Janek is the son of former Galveston County Commissioner Eddie Janek, Sr. He is the brother of Galveston politician Eddie Janek, Jr., who has previously sought county office.

In 1992 Janek entered the Republican primary for Texas State Representative District 134 against two opponents, Mike Shelby and Tim Turner. Janek prevailed against Shelby, later a U.S. Attorney, in the runoff, but he lost the general election to Democrat Sue Schechter, even though the District was almost 60 percent Republican. In 1994, when Schechter chose not to seek re-election, Janek was elected. He served in the Texas House of Representatives until 2002, when he ran for the Texas Senate. Janek sought the seat being vacated by long time District 17 Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown. Janek defeated attorney Gary M. Polland in the Republican primary, and then prevailed against Democratic candidate Ronnie Ellen Harrison in the general election. He was reelected again in 2006 over a Libertarian Party opponent.

Since being elected to the Senate, Janek has focused his legislative efforts on property tax reform, and the sponsorship of a state program to prevent steroid abuse among high school athletes.

Resignation controversy

In the spring of 2007, rumors began appearing in the Austin press corps that Janek would be resigning his seat early to spend more time with his family. Janek told the Austin American-Statesman at the time that resignation was "a possibility" but also said "I love my job. It's not my intent."[1]

On May 26, 2007, Janek placed an advertisement in a Greensheet newspaper for a garage sale at his home in West University Place, Texas. The ad said "Moving Saturday, May 26th" [2]. A few weeks later a reporter for the West University Examiner discovered that the advertisement was for Senator Janek's house. Janek confirmed that he had indeed sold his house, and claimed to be living in a "bayside home" in Galveston, which is still in District 17.

Janek told the reporter he was looking for a house with a bigger yard in either the Galveston or Fort Bend County portions of District 17. He told the paper he would be moving to one of those two counties "[b]efore school resumes."

Instead of moving to Galveston or Fort Bend, however, Janek purchased a house in Austin, where he resides. Austin is not in District 17, which prompted some to question whether Janek still met the required residency to hold an office in the Texas Senate.[3]

On September 17, 2007, the Houston Chronicle reported that Janek enrolled his children in Austin public schools at the new residence. Janek told The Chronicle that he's living by himself in a rental house in Galveston to fulfill his residency requirements, although he also claimed the move to Austin was to be closer to his family when the legislature is in session. The Chronicle's Clay Robison saw the irony of this claim, noting "The next regular session, however, is still sixteen months away, which means he will be spending a lot of time commuting — unless he has something up his sleeve he doesn't want to tell anyone about." [4] Janek blamed the rumors about his own residency issues on "political consultants seeking a client," but Robison also observed that Janek "is fueling the fire" of those rumors through his actions.[5]

2008 election

Janek finally resigned his seat in June 2008, but the decision also ignited a controversy of its own. The resignation was intentionally timed to fall after the Texas uniform election date to fill legislative vacancy, ensuring that the seat would remain vacant until the November 2008 general election. This decision was offered as a favor to Janek's former political consultant Allen Blakemore, who was having trouble recruiting a successor client to run for the District 17 seat. Blakemore initially planned to run former Houston Oilers star Spencer Tillman with Janek's endorsement, until it was discovered that Tillman also lived outside the district. Janek accordingly postponed his resignation date until Blakemore found a client, Houston businessman Austen Furse.

Janek immediately endorsed Furse in the wide-open race for the seat, which also attracted fellow Republicans Grant Harpold and Joan Huffman and Democrat Chris Bell. Janek also transferred $300,000 from his campaign war chest into a newly created Political Action Committee called the "Best of Texas" PAC. According to Houston Chronicle columnist Rick Casey, the PAC was apparently created for no other purpose besides helping Furse by attacking his opponents. Allen Blakemore was chosen to administer the PAC.[6]

Allegations of racism

The "Best of Texas" PAC waged a negative campaign against Furse's opponent Joan Huffman. One mail piece featured mug shot photographs that were mostly of African Americans and Hispanics, prompting comparisons to the infamous Willie Horton commercial and accusations of racism against Janek and Blakemore.[7] Blakemore was also accused of racism by several Democratic lawmakers for an ad he placed in a neighboring legislative district that depicted African-American politicians including Barack Obama next to images of black crows, a common segregationist symbol for Jim Crow.[8] [9]

When Janek was pressed about the PAC's expenditures by Austin political reporter Harvey Kronberg, he claimed that the ads had already been purchased and could not be stopped. He also defended his consultant, stating "Allen Blakemore works to help Republicans, not Democrats – always has, always will."

The "Best of Texas" PAC's strategy appeared to backfire on election day as Furse finished a distant fourth place in the crowded field. Huffman and Bell advanced to a runoff, where Huffman was ultimately elected.

Election history

Most recent election

2006

Texas general election, 2006: Senate District 17
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kyle Janek	88,483	77.82	+16.40
	Libertarian	Phil Kurtz	25,212	22.81	+22.81
Majority			63,271	55.65%	+32.79
Turnout			113,695		-20.99
	Republican hold

Previous elections

2002

Texas general election, 2002: Senate District 17
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kyle Janek	88,393	61.43	-5.99
	Democratic	Ronnie Ellen Harrison	55,502	38.57	+5.99
Majority			32,891	22.86	-11.98
Turnout			153,132		-30.34
	Republican hold

Special election, 5 November 2002: Senate District 17 (Unexpired term)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ronnie Ellen Harrison	47,164	32.58	+3.18
	Republican	Kyle Janek	97,588	67.42	-3.18
Majority			50,424	34.83	-6.36
Turnout			144,752		+5.52
	Republican hold

Republican primary, 2002: Senate District 7
Candidate		Votes	%	±%
	Gary M. Polland	8,444	34.19
✓	Kyle Janek	16,250	65.81
Turnout		24,694

2000

Texas general election, 2000: House District 134
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kyle Janek	20,764	58.89	-1.41
	Democratic	Michael Skadden	14,494	41.11	+1.41
Majority			6,270	17.78	-2.82
Turnout			35,258		+57.17
	Republican hold

1998

Texas general election, 1998: House District 134
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kyle Janek	13,527	60.30	-39.70
	Democratic	Mike Laster	8,906	39.70	+39.70
Majority			4,621	20.60	-79.40
Turnout			22,433		+1.75
	Republican hold

1996

Texas general election, 1996: House District 134
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kyle Janek	22,048	100.00	+32.79
Majority			22,048	100.00	+63.37
Turnout			22,048		-4.62
	Republican hold

1994

Texas general election, 1994: House District 134
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bruce Reeves	7,070	30.58	-19.56
	Republican	Kyle Janek	15,536	67.21	+9.60
	Libertarian	Paul Elliott	509	2.20	-0.04
Majority			8,466	36.63	+34.08
Turnout			23,115		-33.06
	Republican gain from Democratic

Republican primary, 1994: House District 134
Candidate		Votes	%	±%
	Kathleen Ballafant	1,352	24.44
✓	Kyle Janek	4,180	75.56
Turnout		5,532		-14.18

1992

Texas general election, 1992: House District 134
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sue Schechter	17,317	50.15
	Republican	Kyle Janek	16,439	47.61
	Libertarian	Clint Ponton	774	2.24
Majority			878	2.54
Turnout			34,530
	Democratic hold

Republican primary runoff, 1992: House District 134
Candidate		Votes	%	±%
✓	Kyle Janek	1,756	51.18
	Mike Shelby	1,675	48.82
Turnout		3,431

Republican primary, 1992: House District 134
Candidate		Votes	%	±%
✓	Kyle Janek	2,242	34.78
✓	Mike Shelby	2,172	33.70
	Tim Turner	2,032	31.52
Turnout		6,446

External links

• Senate of Texas - Senator Kyle Janek official TX Senate website
• Project Vote Smart - Senator Kyle Janek (TX) profile
• Follow the Money - Kyle Janek
  • 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 campaign contributions

Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by Sue Schechter	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 134 (Houston) 1995–2002	Succeeded by Martha Wong
Texas Senate
Preceded by J. E. “Buster” Brown	Texas State Senator from District 17 (Houston) 2002-2008	Succeeded by Joan Huffman