Texas's 15th congressional district

"TX-15" redirects here. TX-15 may also refer to Texas State Highway 15.

Texas's 15th congressional district
Current Representative		Rubén Hinojosa (D–Mercedes)
Population (2000)	651,619
Median income	$28,061
Cook PVI	D+3

Texas District 15 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a thin section of the far south of the state of Texas. The district's current Representative is Democrat Rubén Hinojosa, elected in 1996.

The district's best-known Representative was John Nance Garner, who represented the district from its creation in 1903 until 1933, and was Speaker of the House from 1931 to 1933 and Vice President of the United States from 1933 to 1941.

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Years	District home	Note
District created		March 4, 1903
John Nance Garner	Democratic	March 4, 1903 - March 3, 1933		Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931 - 1933, Resigned after being elected Vice-President of the United States
Vacant		March 4, 1933 – April 23, 1933
Milton H. West	Democratic	April 23, 1933 - October 28, 1948		Died
Vacant		October 28, 1948 – December 4, 1948
Lloyd Bentsen	Democratic	December 4, 1948 - January 3, 1955
Joe M. Kilgore	Democratic	January 3, 1955 - January 3, 1965
Kika de la Garza	Democratic	January 3, 1965 - January 3, 1997
Rubén Hinojosa	Democratic	January 3, 1997 - present		Incumbent

2006 Elections

On June 28, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Texas legislature's redistricting plan violated the Voting Rights Act in the case of District 23. As a result, on August 4, 2006, a 3 judge panel announced replacement district boundaries for 2006 election for the 23rd district, as well as for the 15th, 21st, 25th and 28th districts. On election day in November, these 5 districts will have open primaries; a candidate will need to receive more than 50% of the popular vote to be elected. Otherwise, a runoff election in December will decide the seat.

Election results

US House election, 2004: Texas District 15
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Rubén Hinojosa	96,089	57.8	-42.2
	Republican	Michael Thamm	67,917	40.8	+40.8
	Libertarian	William Cady	2,352	1.4	+1.4
Majority			28,172	16.9
Turnout			166,358
	Democratic hold		Swing	-41.5

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present