Harry Teague

Harry Teague
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Steve Pearce
Succeeded by	Steve Pearce
Personal details
Born	(1949-06-29) June 29, 1949 Gracemont, Oklahoma
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Nancy Teague
Residence	Hobbs, New Mexico
Occupation	Oil company executive
Religion	Christian
Website	Harry for Congress

Harry Teague (born June 29, 1949) is the former U.S. Representative for New Mexico's 2nd congressional district, serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

The district is located in the southern part of the state and includes Hobbs, Roswell, Carlsbad, Las Cruces and the southern fourth of Albuquerque.

Early life, education and career

Teague grew up in an impoverished family of sharecroppers and lived the first nine years of his life in rural central Oklahoma without running water. His family moved to Hobbs, New Mexico when he was nine years old. He attended Hobbs High School but dropped out at the age of 17 to work in the oil fields to support his sick parents. He is married to Nancy Teague and has two children and five grandchildren. Teague is a small business owner of a company that now employs 250 people and is a member of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association.

Early political career

Teague was elected as a Democrat to the Republican-controlled Lea County Board of Commissioners. He served on the Board for eight years, and was elected chairman by his fellow Board members for three and a half of those years.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
  • Subcommittee on Health

Legislation

Early in the 111th Congress, Teague introduced legislation that would modify the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by providing for the refundability of the child tax credit for five years and extending credit for electricity produced using certain renewable resources. This legislation has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Teague is a co-sponsor of the Southwest Border Violence Reduction Act of 2009, which would direct the United States Attorney General to expand resources for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives initiative to identify, investigate, and prosecute firearms trafficking across the U.S. border with Mexico. The bill has been referred to both the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

On January 28, 2009, the House agreed to an amendment, proposed by Teague, to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The amendment requires the Recovery.gov website to have links to job information at public agencies receiving funding under the bill and at private firms contracted to perform work under the bill. Later that day, the House voted, 244-188, to pass the Act.

Teague was one of 39 Democrats in the House to vote against the Affordable Healthcare for America Act and he also voted against the reconciled bill from the Senate language on March 21, 2010.

In June 2009, Teague voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. At a meeting that occurred following the vote, a group of Tea Party activists disrupted the meeting because they were upset that Teague was meeting with constituents on a one-on-one basis, and to express their frustration with the vote. A 2009 Pew Environment Group poll had found that 69% of voters in New Mexico's 2nd district would support an energy bill that mandated electric utilities to generate 20% of their electricity from renewable sources and reduce carbon emissions.

Political campaigns

2008

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico, 2008 § District 2

In 2008, Republican incumbent Steve Pearce of the 2nd congressional district declined to run for re-election, instead unsuccessfully seeking the U.S. Senate seat left open by the retirement of Pete Domenici. Teague ran for the Democratic nomination against Bill McCamley, winning with 52 percent of the primary vote. The winner of the five-way Republican primary was Edward R. Tinsley, a Capitan rancher and the owner of the K-Bob's Steakhouse restaurant chain.

Although the 2nd has historically been the most conservative district in New Mexico, polls showed the race to be very competitive. Ultimately, Teague won in the general election with 56 percent of the vote to Tinsley's 44 percent. He received strong support from the western side of the district, as well as from its large Latino population. Teague and the Democratic Party outspent Tinsley and the Republican Party by over $3 million in the 2008 campaign.

His victory returned the 2nd to the Democrats for the first time in 28 years.

2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico, 2010 § District 2

November 2, 2010, Teague lost the midterm election to former Republican congressman and business owner Steve Pearce, with Teague receiving 45% of the vote, and Pearce receiving 55%.

External links

• Harry Teague for Congress official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at SourceWatch

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Steve Pearce	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 2nd congressional district 2009–2011	Succeeded by Steve Pearce
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Kurt Schrader D-Oregon	United States Representatives by seniority 420th	Succeeded by G.T. Thompson R-Pennsylvania