Craig Anthony Washington

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Craig Anthony Washington (born October 12, 1941 in Longview, Gregg County, Texas) is a former African-American congressman in the United States House of Representatives from Texas. Born to Roy and Azalia Washington, Craig was already a proficient reader at three years old. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University in 1966 and was originally interested in becoming a doctor, but as admissions to medical school had already ceased, Washington decided to instead apply (on the last day of registration) at Texas Southern University's law school, stay there for the semester, and later reapply to medical school. It turned out to be a fateful decision, as Washington was a natural debater. Washington received the highest grade in more than eight of the courses he took in law school. In 1972, the state of Texas began electing members of the state House of Representatives and State Senate, for the first time, by single-member districts. As a result, many minorities, emboldened by the recent Civil Rights movement and subsequent enacted legislation, sought to forever change the racial makeup of the elected officials in a state that, although already having the legendary Barbara Jordan as a Senate member, had not seen any male African-American statesmen since Reconstruction. Washington, along with four other minority candidates, Anthony Hall, George T. "Mickey" Leland, Benny Reyes and Cecil Bush, (dubbed the "People's Five"), ran for seats in the House of Representatives in Texas. Washington was elected, and served as Texas state representative, Rep. District 86, from 1973 to 1982. He was then a Texas state senator, Senatorial District 13, from 1983 until 1989. Washington was elected as a Democrat to the 101st United States Congress for Texas's 18th congressional district, by special election, December 9 1989, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mickey Leland. He was reelected to the 102nd United States Congress and 103rd United States Congress and served from December 9, 1989, to January 3, 1995. In March, 1994, Washington was unsuccessful in his renomination bid to the 104th United States Congress. Sheila Jackson Lee defeated the incumbent congressman in the Democratic primary for the 18th Congressional District of Texas, a victory that all but assured her the seat itself as the district was overwhelmingly Democratic. Washington had previously made powerful enemies, namely Houston's downtown power brokers (such as then-Enron Chief Kenneth Lay), by voting against congressional bills favoring NAFTA and NASA because neither, in his judgment, provided anything for his (largely lower-to-middle class minority) constituents. Irked by what they perceived as Washington's overt and aggressive liberalism, Lay and other conservatives first convinced then Councilwoman Jackson Lee to run against Washington, then put their sizable deep pockets behind her and her campaign, even though she was a Democrat. Her primary victory was guaranteed as many registered Republicans in the district ignored the Republican primary altogether and "crossed-over" to vote in the Democratic primary for Jackson Lee (This tactic has subsequently been used by the Republican Party in numerous elections, most notably in 2002 when Denise Majette was backed by Republican money to oust incumbent Cynthia McKinney from her Congressional seat in Georgia). Today, Washington practices law out of Houston, Texas, and Bastrop, Texas, and enjoys life away from politics with his family and friends, including five children (Craig II, Chival, Alexander, Cydney, Christoper} and four grandchildren (Craig III, Cameron, Kristen and Kerri). Although Washington has generally stayed out of politics, saying he returned to voting and considered himself a bystander, in 2006 he endorsed Democrat Borris Miles in his successful primary battle against longtime state representative Al Edwards (while in the legislature and Congress, Washington had represented parts of this district). He said Edwards had lost touch and was no longer an effective leader. [1] Washington is currently representing Tyrone Williams, the truck driver involved in the deaths of illegal immigrants in Victoria, Texas in 2003.

Quotes

"I prefer a man who will burn the flag and then wrap himself in the Constitution to a man who will burn the Constitution and then wrap himself in the flag." — quoted in Molly Ivins' syndicated newspaper column, June 30, 1997

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post