Chris Bell (politician)

Chris Bell (born November 23, 1959) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Texas District 25 in Houston from 2003 to 2005. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Bell served two terms as a member of the Houston City Council, sitting in the At-Large Position Four seat between January 1997 - December 2001. He was elected during a special election when the previous incumbent, John Peavy, resigned from the Houston City Council in the wake of an ethics probe.

Related Topics:
November 23 - 1959 - Democratic - United States House of Representatives - Texas - Houston

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Right before Bell ran in the Democratic primary in 2002 for Texas Congressional District 25, he campaigned for a mayoral bid to succeed Mayor Lee P. Brown in October 2001 - the incumbent Brown was facing both Bell and fellow councilmember Orlando Sanchez. Bell finished in third place during the November 6, 2001 election and endorsed incumbent Brown during a runoff election. Right after finishing in third place - he made an official announcement in December 2001 to run for the U.S. Congress.

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Bell was elected in 2002, but on March 9, 2004, he was defeated in a Democratic primary for District 9, which replaced District 25 in the 2003 Texas redistricting, by Al Green, the former President of the Houston NAACP. About half of the constituents from the old District 25 were placed in the new District 9, which is a more ethnically diverse seat. District 9's population is 37 percent black, 30 percent Hispanic, 21 percent white and 11 percent Asian.

Related Topics:
2002 - March 9 - 2004 - 2003 Texas redistricting - Al Green - NAACP

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He filed an ethics complaint against Tom DeLay on June 15, 2004, ending a 7-year "truce" between the parties. Each has accused the other of intent to create personal defamation.

Related Topics:
Tom DeLay - June 15 - 2004

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On July 28, 2005, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic nominination for the Governor of Texas race. The primary elections will be held in March 2006, and the general election will be held November 2006.

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