David Counts (politician)
David Counts | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 78th district | |
| In office November 29, 1988 – January 12, 1993 | |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 70th district | |
| In office January 12, 1993 – January 14, 2003 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Walter David Counts Jr. July 14, 1936 Munday, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 18, 2023 (aged 87) Midland, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic[1][2] |
| Alma mater | West Texas State University North Texas State University |
Walter David Counts Jr. (July 14, 1936 – August 18, 2023) was an American politician. He served as a Democratic member for the 70th and 78th district of the Texas House of Representatives.[3]
Life and career
[edit]Walter David Counts Jr. was born July 14, 1936 in Munday, Texas, to Walter and Alma Counts.[4] He attended West Texas State University and North Texas State University.[4] In July 1956 at the age of 20 he married Mary Mullins with whom he had two children.[4]
Counts joined the Texas Army National Guard in 1953 and served for 32 years retiring as Colonel and later being awarded the rank of Brigadier General with a brevet promotion.[4] Counts founded two businesses, the Counts Insurance Agency and Counts Real Estate.[4]
In September 1988 Counts was certified as the Democratic candidate to run against Republican Rod Waller for house district 78 to replace Democrat Steve Carriker who moved to the senate.[5] He stood on a platform for better education for all, support of rural Texas, support for the elderly, getting criminals off the street and not raising taxes.[6] Counts won 18,649 votes to 12,583 taking ten out of the twelve district counties.[7] Counts served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1988 to 2003 representing district 78 three times and then district 70 five times.[3] He served on several committees including being the chair of Auto Theft and Uninsured Motorists, Special, Insurance Subcommittee on Budget and Oversight and Natural Resources five times.[3]
Counts died at his home in Midland, Texas on August 18, 2023, at the age of 87.[4][8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Knox County". Times Record News. Wichita Falls, Texas. November 7, 1990. p. 15. Retrieved September 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Counts, Hogan vary on issues". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. October 23, 1994. p. 21. Retrieved September 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "David Counts". Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "David Counts - Obituary". Smith Family Funeral Homes. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ "Counts officially counts". Abilene Reporter-News. 15 September 1988. p. 4. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "David Counts (D) 78th District state representative". Abilene Reporter-News. 23 October 1988. p. 43. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Knox City Democrat wins Carriker's old seat". Times Record News. 11 November 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Former Cottle, King state representative David Counts, passes away Aug. 18". The Caprock Courier. August 22, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
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- 1936 births
- 2023 deaths
- People from Munday, Texas
- Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
- 21st-century members of the Texas Legislature
- West Texas A&M University alumni
- University of North Texas alumni
- Burials at Texas State Cemetery
- 20th-century members of the Texas Legislature
- Texas politician stubs