CQ Risk Rating: Safe Republican 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Larry Combest (R) | 170,319 | 92% |
| John M. Turnbow (LIBERT) | 15,579 | 8% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: MARCH 14, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Republican |
| Larry Combest | 64,433 | 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 19
:
Western Panhandle - Parts of Lubbock and Amarillo
The conservative 19th starts in the Panhandle and travels south through
cattle and cotton country until reaching oil field operations in the
southern counties near Odessa. With ranches, cattle and remnants of the
cowboy lifestyle, the 19th offers a taste of the wild West and feels little
like the "Old South," which never really reached this far west.
Lubbock, which is shared with the 13th District, is the largest city in
the 19th and thrives on the acres upon acres of cotton surrounding the city.
Lubbock calls itself the world's largest cottonseed processing center.
Besides cotton, the 19th also takes in cattle ranches to the north and
oil in the south. Because the 19th's economy is so dependent on agriculture
and oil, it was nearly devastated during the worldwide oil glut of the 1980s
and bad weather in the 1990s. Famine and drought have been detrimental to
cattle and cotton, and continued low oil prices have dampened the oil
industry. Reese Air Force Base was another important employer, but it was
shut down under the 1995 military restructuring.
Before a Republican won the 19th in 1984, only Democrats had held the
seat during its 50-year history. More recently, Republicans have done well
at all levels and routinely receive between 60 and 70 percent of the vote.
Major Industry
Cattle, agriculture, oil and gas
Population
565,925 (1990)
Cities
Lubbock (pt.), 148,108; Amarillo (pt.), 66,113; Odessa (pt.), 58,539 (1990)
People
61% urban; 10% age 65+ (ranks 15 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally);
62% married couples, 32% married couples with children; 21% college educated
(ranks 10 of 30 in state; middle third nationally); 58% white collar (ranks
11 of 30 in state; middle third nationally), 24% blue collar (ranks 20 of 30
in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Race
86% white, 2% black, 1% Asian; 19% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$27,267 (ranks 12 of 30 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Odessa boasts the world's largest barbecue pit, big enough to grill 16,500
pounds of beef; Group of businessmen from Odessa, known as the Odessa Chuck
Wagon Gang, travels the world cooking barbecue and promoting West Texas.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 19
