CQ Risk Rating: Safe Democrat 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Nick Lampson (D) | 130,143 | 59% |
| Paul Williams (R) | 87,165 | 40% |
| Chuck Knipp (LIBERT) | 2,508 | 1% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: MARCH 14, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| Nick Lampson | 27,457 | 100% |
| | Republican |
| Paul Williams | 19,886 | 100% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
TEXAS 9
:
Southeast - Beaumont; Galveston
From the suburbs east of Houston to the Gulf of Mexico, the 9th is oil
country. Its largest cities, Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, are
heavily involved in the production and distribution of petroleum products.
When the bottom fell out of the oil industry in the 1980s, unemployment in
the district skyrocketed. Many of the district's towns lost population,
though they slowly regained people throughout the 1990s. The land between
Houston and the coast doesn't yield many crops but instead contains NASA's
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, refineries and shipbuilding facilities. The
district also is dependent on coastal industries, including ship repair and
commercial fishing.
Due to the large number of factory jobs, the district is one of the few
in Texas where unions wield significant political power. But liberal
politics can be a tough sell in these parts, where local Republicans often
garner 50 percent or more of the vote.
Although the oil bust of the 1980s hurt the 9th's economy, the rapid
growth of the petrochemical industry in the 1990s helped the district grow.
Shipbuilders rely on the government, as does the Space Center, located 20
miles southeast of Houston. Growing service and trade industries near
Galveston have helped diversify the economy beyond industrial employers.
Galveston, with its nearby beaches, also has emerged as a tourist
destination.
Major Industry
Petrochemicals, shipbuilding, health care
Population
564,287 (1990)
Cities
Beaumont, 111,224; Galveston, 60,048; Port Arthur, 57,701 (1996)
People
87% urban; 11% age 65+ (ranks 11 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally);
56% married couples, 27% married couples with children; 19% college educated
(ranks 11 of 30 in state; middle third nationally); 59% white collar (ranks
10 of 30 in state; middle third nationally), 26% blue collar (ranks 16 of 30
in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Race
72% white, 22% black, 2% Asian; 9% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$29,406 (ranks ninth of 30 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Galveston is the site of many Texas firsts, including the first post office
(1836) and first law firm west of the Mississippi River (1846); Nederland
maintains its Dutch roots with a windmill and annual Heritage Festival.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 9
