Bill Flores

Bill Flores
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 17th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Preceded by Chet Edwards
Personal details
Born February 25, 1954[1]
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA[1]
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Gina Flores
Children Will and John Flores
Residence Bryan, Texas
Alma mater Texas A&M University (B.S.)
Houston Baptist University (M.B.A.)
Profession Retired oil & natural gas executive
Religion Southern Baptist

William H. "Bill" Flores (born February 25, 1954) is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for Texas's 17th congressional district since 2011. The district, located in the middle of the state, includes Waco, College Station and Bryan.[2] He is a member of the Republican Party and the former CEO of Phoenix Exploration Company, an oil and natural gas exploration company.

Early life and education

Flores was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, where his father was serving in the military. He is the son of Ruth Ann Theresa (née Kennedy) and Joe Pete Flores, who is Hispanic.[3] Flores grew up in Stratford, Texas in the Texas Panhandle.[4] He graduated with a B.B.A., cum laude in accounting from Texas A&M University in 1976.[5] While there, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, the Ross Volunteer Company,[6] and Corps Staff. He also served as Student Body Vice-President of Finance during his senior year. He has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1978.[7] He also received an MBA from Houston Baptist University in 1985.[5]

Business career

Flores served as CFO for two publicly traded energy service firms from 1990 through 1998. These companies included Marine Drilling Companies, Inc. (1990–1997) and Western Atlas Inc. (1997–1998). From 2002 to 2005, Flores was the Senior Vice President and CFO of Gryphon Exploration Company.[8]

During his time with Marine Drilling he personally oversaw Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings of Marine Rig 200, Inc. which resulted in a $7.5 million loss to the federal government.[9]

In 2006, a group of five oil and gas industry executives, led by Flores as President and CEO, formed Phoenix Exploration Company with $350 million of capital commitments from a group of private equity firms that included Soros Strategic Partners LP and HNBridge LP. The company is engaged in oil and gas exploration along the Gulf Coast and the Gulf of Mexico shelf utilizing regional 3-D seismic data.[10] Flores also served as a Director of that company from its formation until he retired in December 2009 to run for public office.

Flores is a former Commissioner of the Texas Real Estate Commission,[11] and a past Director and former Chairman of the Board of the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University.[7] He has also served on boards of Phoenix Exploration Company, Marine Drilling Companies, Inc.,[12] FreeBirds, Inc., and The PARC, Inc, and the Alley Theater of Houston.[7]

He serves on the Board of the Private Enterprise Research Center of Texas A&M University and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Houston Baptist University.[5]

U.S. House of Representatives

2010 election

In late 2009 Flores entered the Republican primary for the 17th District, held by 10-term Democratic incumbent Chet Edwards.[13] Flores claimed his worries about the future of "the American dream" inspired him to run for Congress.[5] He committed a half million dollars of his own money to self-fund his campaign.[14]

In the Republican primary runoff on April 13, he had defeated Rob Curnock[15] by a 64-36 percent margin.[16] The size of his primary victory was a surprise to many political observers because Curnock was the 2008 nominee and he held Edwards' 2008 vote total close to 50 percent, despite being heavily outspent.[17] During the Republican primary, Flores received the endorsement of former Republican U.S. Senator Phil Gramm[18] After the primary win, Flores was also endorsed by George H.W. Bush, John McCain,[19] Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee.[5]

Through December 21, 2010, Flores' campaign raised $3.5 million, of which $1.49 million came from Flores himself. He spent $3.3 million overall.[20]

On November 2, 2010, Flores defeated Edwards with 62 percent of the vote.[21][22][23] This was the largest margin of defeat for a Democratic incumbent in the 2010 cycle.

Political positions

Upon his swearing-in, Flores became the first Republican to represent Waco in Congress since Reconstruction. Flores supports limited government and lower taxes; an end to the spending of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; making the Bush-era tax cuts permanent; pro-life abortion positions; and stronger enforcement at the U.S. Mexico border.[24] Flores supports the building of new nuclear power plants to assist the U.S. in becoming energy self-sufficient. He also supports incentives for the development of solar and wind power.[25] Flores made bold remarks in April 2015 that the riots occurring in Baltimore, Maryland were a direct result of the high rate of same-sex marriages being preformed in the United States. Flores' comments occurred during a landmark Supreme Court Case to decide whether or not to allow same-sex marriages at the national level. Flores is a member of the Conservative Republican Study Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Conference.

Republican Study Committee

On November 18, 2014, Flores was elected to the Chairmanship of the House Republican Study Committee(RSC). Flores was elected on the second ballot securing 84 votes to South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney's 57.

Committee assignments

Legislation sponsored

Personal life

Flores is married to Gina, whom he met in high school.[4] They have two sons.[29] Flores attends Central Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist church in Bryan.[30]

Flores has served as a member of the Mays Business School Advisory Board, the Corps of Cadets Development Council, Corps of Cadets Association, the Houston A&M Club, the Brazos County A&M Club, and other roles at Texas A&M University.[7] In 2003, he was honored as an outstanding alumnus of the Mays Business School of Texas A&M University.[29] In 2010, he was also named a distinguished alumnus by Texas A&M University.[6]

Electoral history

2012 17th Congressional District of Texas Elections[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bill Flores (I) 143,284 79.92%
Libertarian Ben Easton 35,978 20.07%
2012 17th Congressional District of Texas Republican Primary Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bill Flores (I) 40,913 82.58
Republican George W. Hindman 8,628 17.41
2010 17th Congressional District of Texas Elections[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bill Flores 106,275 61.8
Democratic Chet Edwards 62,926 36.6

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). CQ Roll Call. 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  2. ↑ Member Profile (1951-11-24). "Profile for Rep. Chet Edwards, Texas Democrat, East central - Waco, College Station, Bryan". Roll Call. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  3. ↑ "Bill Flores ancestry".
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Petty, Ty (2010-10-25). "Republican candidate challenges incumbent". Texas A&M University The Battalion. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Cadis, Daniel (2010-10-21). "Flores challenges 10-term incumbent". Houston Baptist Univ. Collegian. Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Tribute Wall". The Association of Former Students. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Biography - Congressman Bill Flores". U.S. Congress (Washington, D.C.). Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ Barr, Greg.Investor builds energy base, New private equity fuels funding for start-up companies, Houston Business Journal, May 11, 2007.
  9. ↑ Michaels, Dave. Exclusive: Bankruptcy of Edwards challenger Bill Flores' business cost taxpayers $7.5 million The Dallas Morning News October 9, 2010
  10. ↑ Press Release. Phoenix Exploration Company Acquires Gulf of Mexico/Gulf Coast Assets from Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation for $340 Million, The Carlyle Group, August 30, 2006.
  11. ↑ Meetings Texas Real Estate Commission, Texas Real Estate Commission, February 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ William Flores Form 4, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, March 22, 2005.
  13. ↑ Flores rolls to runoff win; Canseco comes from behind, Houston Chronicle, April 14, 2010.
  14. ↑ Blake, Aaron. Wealthy businessman to challenge Rep. Chet Edwards, The Hill, December 15, 2009.
  15. ↑ Personal Profile (2010-04-10). "Rob Curnock Profile". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
  16. ↑ Texas Secretary of State Election Results, April 13, 2010.
  17. ↑ Watkins, Matthew. Bill Flores wins GOP runoff, Bryan-College Station The Eagle, April 14, 2010.
  18. ↑ Shapiro, Michael W. Edwards, Gramm spar as ex-senator endorses Flores, Waco Tribune-Herald, April 8, 2010.
  19. ↑ Tinsley, Anna (2010-10-23). "District 17 congressional race getting hotter as Election Day nears". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved 2010-10-24. He gained significant GOP backing, including an endorsement from former President George H.W. Bush and support from 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who filmed a commercial for him.
  20. ↑ "2010 Race: Texas District 17". OpenSecrets.org. 2010-10-13. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "2010 General Election, Election Night Returns, Unofficial Elections Results As Of: 11/3/2010 12:14:58 PM". Texas Secretary of State. 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2010-11-22.
  22. ↑ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/politics/7276047.html
  23. ↑ http://www.kxxv.com/global/story.asp?s=13433237
  24. ↑ Turner, Kris (2010-11-05). "Meet Texas' new congressmen: Bill Flores". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  25. ↑ Ocana, Damarys (2010-12-23). "New Latinos in Power: Jaime Lynn Herrera, David Rivera, Bill Flores". Latina (Latina Media Features LLC). Retrieved 2011-01-06. He’s also vowed to push for the creation of new nuclear plants as a way to make energy more efficient, while expanding incentives to allow more solar and wind energy technologies.
  26. ↑ "H.R. 2728 - Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  27. ↑ Kasperowicz, Pete (19 November 2013). "House advances drilling, fracking bills". The Hill. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  28. ↑ "H.R. 2728 - All Actions". United States Congress. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Bill Flores for Congress". Archived from the original on 28 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-01. Following his graduation, Bill married Gina, the girl he pursued in high school. They have been married for thirty-two years and are the parents of two adult sons, Will and John. John and his wife, Aimee, were to have the first grandchild in early 2011.
  30. ↑ Staff (5 January 2011). "Ten Southern Baptists sworn in as new reps.". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  31. ↑ "www.texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/almanac-feature/2012fedsweb.pdf" (PDF). Texas Maniac. Date unknown. Retrieved 27 December 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Chet Edwards		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 17th congressional district
January 3, 2011 – present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Rob Woodall
Georgia		 Chairman of the Republican Study Committee
2015 – present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Chuck Fleischmann
R-Tennessee 		United States Representatives by seniority
248th 		Succeeded by
Bob Gibbs
R-Ohio