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Wayne Christian
Railroad Commissioner of Texas
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Governor Greg Abbott
Preceded by David J. Porter
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 9th district
In office
January 9, 2007 – January 8, 2013
Preceded by Roy Blake Jr.
Succeeded by Chris Paddie
In office
January 14, 1997 – January 11, 2005
Preceded byJerry Johnson
Succeeded by Roy Blake Jr.
Personal details
Born
Walter Wayne Christian

(1950-09-26) September 26, 1950 (age 73)
Center, Texas, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse
Lisa Lemoine
​
( m. 1975)​
Children3
Education Stephen F. Austin State University ( BBA)

Walter Wayne Christian (born September 26, 1950) [1][ failed verification] is an American politician and financial planner from Center, Texas, who serves as a Republican member of the Texas Railroad Commission, [2] having first won the position in the general election of November 8, 2016.

In June 2019, Christian was elected commission chairman by his two colleagues, fellow Republicans Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton. [3]

He formerly served in the Texas House of Representatives for District 9, which included Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties in East Texas. [4]

Background

Walter Wayne Christian [5] was born in Center but reared in nearby Tenaha. In 1975 he married the former Lisa Ruth Lemoine. The couple has three daughters: Liza, Lindsey, and Lauren. [6]

In the 1970s, Wayne was the leader of a successful Southern gospel band, The Singing Christians. [7] In 1979, Wayne and his bandmates created the Mercy River Boys. [8] They were twice nominated for a Grammy Award by the National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences. [9] Wayne Christian was inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall Of Fame in November 2015. [10]

Wayne Christian Financial Services office is near the Shelby County Courthouse in Center, Texas.

Christian is an agent of Woodbury Financial Services. [11] He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, where he minored in marketing. [12]

Political life

Christian became a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 9 on January 14, 1997. [13] He is a conservative Christian and opposed to abortion. He is the former president of the Texas Conservative Coalition, a bipartisan caucus of conservative legislators. He was also a board member of the Texas TEA Party Caucus. During his tenure in the legislature, Christian was heavily involved in energy and oil and gas issues, serving on the Energy Resources Committee and as Vice Chairman of the Regulated Industries Committee. [14] He also served as Vice Chairman of the Criminal Jurisprudence committee and on the Ways and Means Committee.

Throughout his years as a member of the Texas House, Christian received numerous awards for his conservative voting record. [15] [16] [17] [6]

The Texas Supreme Court has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the private property protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment. [18]

Under the 2012 redistricting plan for the Texas House, Christian's home in Center was placed in a district in which approximately 80 percent of the constituents were new to him. He was one of several senior House Republicans who were either paired with other members of their party or relocated into largely new population districts. [19] [20]

Christian was unseated in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012, by the Straus-endorsed Chris Paddie, 8,552 votes (47.8 percent) to 9,327 ballots (52.2 percent). [21]

Candidacy for Texas Railroad Commission

2014

Christian ran unsuccessfully for one of the three elected seats on the Texas Railroad Commission in the Republican runoff election held on May 27, 2014. [22] [23] [24] [25]

2016

In 2016, Christian became the Republican nominee for the commissioner spot held by David J. Porter, who did not seek re-election to a second term. In the Republican primary on March 1, Christian finished second among seven candidates with 408,629 votes (19.8 percent). Businessman Gary Gates of Richmond, Texas, led the balloting with 586,253 votes (28.4 percent). [26]

In December 2015, Christian temporarily suspended his campaign to care for his elderly mother but was soon back soliciting supporters. [27] He was endorsed by the political action committee, Texas Patriots Tea Party. [28]

Christian polled 4,648,841 votes (53.1 percent); Yarbrough, 3,362,041 (38.4 percent); Miller, 462,251 (5.3 percent), and Salinas, 287,105 (3.2 percent). [29] [30] [31]

References

  1. ^ "Legislative Reference Library - Legislators and Leaders - Member profile". lrl.texas.gov. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  2. ^ "Railroad Commissioners Past through Present". www.rrc.texas.gov. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  3. ^ Sergio Chapa (June 19, 2019). "Wayne Christian elected as Railroad Commission chairman". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  4. ^ "Wayne Christian for State Representative". waynechristiancampaign.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  5. ^ "Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Mobile". lrl.texas.gov. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "About Wayne Christian". waynechristiancampaign.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  7. ^ "The Singing Christians". Uniqware.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "Texas RRC - Chairman Wayne Christian". Rrc.state.tx.us. June 18, 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  9. ^ "The Honorable Wayne Christian - Texas State Directory Online". Txdirectory.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  10. ^ "Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inducts The Singing Christians/Mercy River Boys | Shelby County Today". Scttx.com. November 25, 2015. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  11. ^ "Wayne Christian & Associates". waynechristian.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  12. ^ "Wayne Christian". texastribune.org. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  13. ^ "Wayne Christian". Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  14. ^ "Texas Legislature Online - Committee Membership". capitol.texas.gov. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "Rep. Wayne Christian Receives Endorsement From Texans For Fiscal Responsibility". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  16. ^ Tribune, The Texas. "Commissioner Wayne Christian". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Rep. Christian Receives YCT 2011 Torch of Freedom Award". Young Conservatives of Texas. February 22, 2011. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  18. ^ "Danny Yadron, "Post-Hurricane Ike amendment would let legislator rebuild," June 5, 2009". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  19. ^ "A Word from James White". whiteforeasttexas.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  20. ^ "Nacogdoches County Republicans Meeting Today, June 28, Tune in today and hear U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert". everythingnac.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  21. ^ "Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012". enr.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  22. ^ "Texas Digest: Wayne Christian announces for railroad commissioner; feds nix Texas waiver to reduce tests for high-performing students". Austin American Statesman. September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  23. ^ "Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014". Texas Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  24. ^ "2012 Republican runoff election returns (House District 24)". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  25. ^ "David Barer, "Railroad Commission primary: Brown wins Democratic side, Christian and Sitton heading to Republican runoff", March 4, 2014". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on March 8, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  26. ^ "Republican primary returns". Texas Secretary of State. March 1, 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  27. ^ Malewitz, Jim (January 7, 2016). "After Brief Hiatus, Wayne Christian Resumes Run for Railroad Commission". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  28. ^ "Endorsements: Railroad Commissioner". texaspatriotspac.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  29. ^ "Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  30. ^ "Wayne Christian, Grady Yarbrough advance to general election for Railroad Commission seat". bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  31. ^ "General Election Results". Texas Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jerry Johnson
 Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 9th district
1997–2005 		Succeeded by
Roy Blake
Preceded by
Roy Blake
 Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 9th district
2007–2013 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Member of the Texas Railroad Commission
2017–present 		Incumbent
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