Dan Flynn (politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Daniel Archie Flynn
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 2nd district
In office
January 14, 2003 – January 12, 2021
Preceded byThomas Donald Ramsay
Succeeded byBryan Slaton
Personal details
Born(1943-02-21)February 21, 1943
DiedOctober 28, 2022(2022-10-28) (aged 79)
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Van, Texas, U.S.
OccupationBusinessman, rancher

Daniel Archie Flynn, (February 21, 1943 – October 28, 2022) was an American businessman and rancher from Van, Texas, who was from 2003 to 2021 a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 2 (Hopkins, Hunt, and Van Zandt counties). On July 14, 2020, Flynn was defeated in his re-election attempt by Bryan Slaton by a 22-point margin in the Republican primary runoff.[1][2]

Life and career[edit]

Flynn was born on February 23, 1943.[3] He was one of House Speaker Joe Straus's loyal supporters.[2]

In December 2008, Flynn authored a bill requiring public documents to be in English only as a means of encouraging non-English speakers to learn English.[4]

In his 2018 primary election, Flynn defeated Bryan Slaton, an intra-party rival from Hunt County, 11,803 (51.7 percent) to 11,013 (48.3 percent). After his reelection, Flynn called once again to permit public school teachers in the state the option of displaying the Ten Commandments in their classrooms. He has been unsuccessful in previous attempts to pass such legislation. Flynn said that he did not understand why his proposal is controversial — liberals viewed it as "unconstitutional" and certain to be challenged in federal court. Flynn said the proposal merely allowed teachers "to put something in their room that is about good values."[5]

On July 14, 2020, Flynn was defeated in his re-election attempt by Bryan Slaton by a 22-point margin in the Republican primary runoff.[1][2] Slaton ran to Flynn's right.[6] He died on October 28, 2022, at the age of 79.[7]

Election results[edit]

2002[edit]

Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn 3,046 56.5
Republican Sue Ann Harting 1,900 35.2
Republican Mickey Cooper 447 8.3
Total votes 5,393 100
General election results[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn 18,872 58.5
Democratic Danny Duncan 13,384 41.5
Total votes 32,256 100
Republican gain from Democratic

2004[edit]

Republican primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 4,040 100
Total votes 4,040 100
General election results[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 36,888 100
Total votes 36,888 100

2006[edit]

Republican primary results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 5,221 73.3
Republican Chuck Tull 1,899 26.7
Total votes 7,120 100
General election results[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 18,783 58.5
Democratic Scott Cornuaud 11,926 37.1
Libertarian Dawn M. Childs 1,404 4.4
Total votes 32,113 100

2008[edit]

Republican primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 11,136 100
Total votes 11,136 100
General election results[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 39,258 85.0
Libertarian Michael A. French 6,906 15.0
Total votes 46,164 100

2010[edit]

Republican primary results[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 10,841 65.3
Republican Richard "Link" Linkenauger 5,754 34.7
Total votes 16,595 100
General election results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 26,604 100
Total votes 26,604 100

2012[edit]

Republican primary results[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 11,070 59.5
Republican George Alexander 7,532 40.5
Total votes 18,602 100
General election results[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 46,025 100
Total votes 46,025 100

2014[edit]

Republican primary results[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 13,903 100
Total votes 13,903 100
General election results[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 28,847 100
Total votes 28,847 100

2016[edit]

Republican primary results[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 14,918 51.0
Republican Bryan Slaton 14,337 49.0
Total votes 29,255 100
General election results[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 54,605 100
Total votes 54,605 100

2018[edit]

Republican primary results[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 11,696 51.7
Republican Bryan Slaton 10,921 48.3
Total votes 22,617 100
General election results[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 45,843 80.0
Democratic Bill Brannon 11,432 20.0
Total votes 57,275 100

2020[edit]

Republican primary results[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 12,246 44.8
Republican Bryan Slaton 9,889 36.1
Republican Dwayne "Doc" Collins 5,223 19.1
Total votes 27,358 100
Republican primary runoff results[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bryan Slaton 9,757 61.07
Republican Dan Flynn (incumbent) 6,221 38.93
Total votes 15,978 100

Redistricting[edit]

Late in 2010, Representative Bryan Hughes of Mineola in Wood County, claimed that Larry Phillips, a lawmaker from Sherman, told Hughes that Dan Flynn and Erwin Cain, the newly elected conservative representative from Sulphur Springs, would be adversely redistricted for the 2012 elections because they had declined to commit to the second-term reelection of Speaker Joe Straus, a Moderate Republican from San Antonio. In a hearing before the House Ethics Committee, chaired by another East Texas representative, Chuck Hopson of Jacksonville, an ally of Speaker Straus, Phillips denied having made such a claim to Hughes. Neither Hughes nor Phillips taped the conversation. No judgment was made by the committee because of the lack of corroborating witnesses.[28]

Flynn survived the redistricting. On March 1, 2016, Flynn narrowly won re-nomination in the Republican primary. He polled 14,917 votes (51 percent) to intraparty rival Bryan Slaton's 14,336 (49 percent).[29]

Legislative committees[edit]

During the 86th Texas Legislature, Flynn chaired the Defense and Veterans' Affairs Committee, and also served on the House Administration Committee and the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee.[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Pollock, Cassandra & Reese Oxner. Three Texas House incumbents — Dan Flynn, Anna Eastman and J.D. Sheffield — lose in primary runoffs, Texas Tribune, July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Rowen, Ben. Roundup: Texas Primary Runoffs 2020, Texas Monthly, July 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Member profile". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  4. ^ Representative files to make english state's official language Archived 2009-01-31 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Texan
  5. ^ Anna M. Tinsley (December 10, 2018). "Time to allow the Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms? One state lawmaker thinks so". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  6. ^ Haslet, Mark. Dan Flynn, Bryan Slaton Compete In July 14 GOP Primary Runoff, Texas Standard, July 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Dan Flynn, who served 18 years in the Texas House, has died at 79
  8. ^ "2002 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  9. ^ "2002 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "2004 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "2004 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "2006 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  13. ^ "2006 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  14. ^ "2008 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  15. ^ "2008 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  16. ^ "2010 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "2010 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "2012 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  19. ^ "2012 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  20. ^ "2014 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  21. ^ "2014 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  22. ^ "2016 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  23. ^ "2016 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  24. ^ "2018 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  25. ^ "2018 General Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  26. ^ "2020 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  27. ^ "2020 Primary Runoff Election Official Results". Secretary of State of Texas. July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  28. ^ ""Texas House Ethics Panel Takes No Action on Alleged Redistricting Threats by Vice-chair Phillips," November 23, 2010". americanindependent.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  29. ^ "Republican primary returns". Texas Secretary of State. March 1, 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  30. ^ "Legislative Reference Library of Texas". Retrieved June 27, 2020.

External links[edit]

Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by Texas State Representative for District 2
(Rains, Hunt, and Van Zandt counties)

2003–2021
Succeeded by