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'''Dwayne Bradley Stovall''' (born 1966) is a businessman and school board member from Cleveland in Liberty County in southeastern [[Texas]], who is a [[Republican]] candidate for the [[United States Senate]] in the [[primary]] election scheduled for March 4, 2014. He and six challengers, including [[U.S. Representative]] [[Steve Stockman]], are seeking to deny re-nomination to [[John Cornyn]], who has held the seat since 2002 and is the [[Senate Minority Whip]].

'''Dwayne Bradley Stovall''' (born 1966) is a businessman and school board member from Cleveland in Liberty County in southeastern [[Texas]], who is a [[Republican]] candidate for the [[United States Senate]] in the [[primary]] election scheduled for March 4, 2014. He and six challengers, including [[U.S. Representative]] [[Steve Stockman]], are seeking to deny re-nomination to [[John Cornyn]], who has held the seat since 2002 and is the Senate Minority Whip.

   

   

On his website, the [[conservative]] Stovall calls himself a "small-r republican ... who refuses to remain silent while tyranny grows and liberty is destroyed."<ref name=dbstovall/>

On his website, the [[conservative]] Stovall calls himself a "small-r republican ... who refuses to remain silent while tyranny grows and liberty is destroyed."<ref name=dbstovall/>

==Background==

==Background==

   

   

Stovall was born in Baytown, near [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], where his father worked in the oil fields. He spent the first decade of his life in a neighborhood built by the Humble Oil Company. The small residences in the subdivision were humorously called "Humble camps". He lived in [[Alaska]] for several years in the 1970s, when his father worked on the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. In 1984, Stovall graduated from West Rusk High School in New London in Rusk County in East Texas. He attended Kilgore Junior College in Kilgore and [[Texas State University]] in San Marcos, then the institution was known as '''Southwest Texas State University''',<ref name=dbstovall>{{cite web|url=http://www.texansforstovall.com/about.php|title=Proud to Be Texan|publisher=texansforstovall.com|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref> also the alma mater of the late [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], who from 1949 to 1961 held the Senate seat that Stovall is seeking.

Stovall was born in Baytown, near [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], where his father worked in the oil fields. He spent the first decade of his life in a neighborhood built by the Humble Oil Company. The small residences in the subdivision were humorously called "Humble camps". He lived in [[Alaska]] for several years in the 1970s, when his father worked on the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. In 1984, Stovall graduated from West Rusk High School in New London in Rusk County in East Texas. He attended Kilgore Junior College in Kilgore and Texas State University in San Marcos, then the institution was known as '''Southwest Texas State University''',<ref name=dbstovall>{{cite web|url=http://www.texansforstovall.com/about.php|title=Proud to Be Texan|publisher=texansforstovall.com|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref> also the alma mater of the late [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], who from 1949 to 1961 held the Senate seat that Stovall is seeking.

   

   

While attending SWTSU, Stovall began employment in shift work at the Atlantic Richfield refinery in [[Pasadena, Texas|Pasadena]], Texas, where he worked for thirteen years. In 1996, he launched Diamond K Equipment, Inc. , and moved to Liberty County shortly thereafter. He worked for what was then Lyondell-Citgo Refining until 2001, when he began full time in his business, which then specialized in bridge construction, primarily for the Texas Department of Transportation, in all parts of the state. In 2011, Diamond K began to branch into the testing of emissions testing in the oil fields.<ref name=dbstovall/>  

While attending SWTSU, Stovall began employment in shift work at the Atlantic Richfield refinery in [[Pasadena, Texas|Pasadena]], Texas, where he worked for thirteen years. In 1996, he launched Diamond K Equipment, Inc. , and moved to Liberty County shortly thereafter. He worked for what was then Lyondell-Citgo Refining until 2001, when he began full time in his business, which then specialized in bridge construction, primarily for the Texas Department of Transportation, in all parts of the state. In 2011, Diamond K began to branch into the testing of emissions testing in the oil fields.<ref name=dbstovall/>  

==Senate campaign==

==Senate campaign==

   

   

Stovall has repeatedly won straw polls at meetings across Texas of the [[Tea Party movement]]. He carries the backing of various conservative political groups but no prominent politicians in his state. Stovall is supported by the Tea Party group, "Grassroots America - We the People" and "Houston Young Republicans". Another group, "Southern Conservative" switched its support from Steve Stockman, who represents [[Texas's 36th congressional district]], to Stovall.<ref name=gilmermirror>{{cite web|url=http://www.gilmermirror.com/view/full_story/24528967/article-Dwayne-Stovall-Earns-Endorsement|title=Dwayne Stovall Earns Endorsement, February 6, 2014|publisher=''Gilmer, Texas, Mirror''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>On December 3, 2013, Stovall won a straw poll in Nacogdoches County in East Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thevindicator.com/news/article_7134bffe-62db-11e3-b165-001a4bcf887a.html|title=Dwayne Stovall Defeats John Cornyn in Nacogdoches County Republican Party Straw Poll, December 4, 2013|publisher=''Liberty County Vindicator''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>  

Stovall has repeatedly won straw polls at meetings across Texas of the [[Tea Party movement]]. He carries the backing of various conservative political groups but no prominent politicians in his state. Stovall is supported by the Tea Party group, "Grassroots America - We the People" and "Houston Young Republicans". Another group, "Southern Conservative" switched its support from Steve Stockman to Stovall.<ref name=gilmermirror>{{cite web|url=http://www.gilmermirror.com/view/full_story/24528967/article-Dwayne-Stovall-Earns-Endorsement|title=Dwayne Stovall Earns Endorsement, February 6, 2014|publisher=''Gilmer, Texas, Mirror''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>On December 3, 2013, Stovall won a straw poll in Nacogdoches County in East Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thevindicator.com/news/article_7134bffe-62db-11e3-b165-001a4bcf887a.html|title=Dwayne Stovall Defeats John Cornyn in Nacogdoches County Republican Party Straw Poll, December 4, 2013|publisher=''Liberty County Vindicator''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>  

   

   

He received  considerable attention from a television advertisement that first aired in early February 2014 in which he ridicules [[Senate Minority Leader]] ][Mitch McConnell]] of [[Kentucky]], Cornyn's superior in the Senate leadership, as an ineffective "Beltway turtle".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/14/dwayne-stovall-mitch-mcconnell_n_4790903.html|title=Samantha Lachman, "GOP Senate Candidate Calls Mitch McConnell 'Beltway Turtle' In Anti-Cornyn Ad", February 14, 2014|publisher=''Huffington Post''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

He received  considerable attention from a television advertisement that first aired in early February 2014 in which he ridicules Senate Minority Leader ][Mitch McConnell]] of [[Kentucky]], Cornyn's superior in the Senate leadership, as an ineffective "Beltway turtle".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/14/dwayne-stovall-mitch-mcconnell_n_4790903.html|title=Samantha Lachman, "GOP Senate Candidate Calls Mitch McConnell 'Beltway Turtle' In Anti-Cornyn Ad", February 14, 2014|publisher=''Huffington Post''|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

   

   

The established media, however, has largely ignored Stovall's candidacy. Stovall supporters claim the media is involved in the suppression of voices, such as Stovall, who oppose the powerful well-known names in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.examiner.com/article/grass-roots-front-runner-for-senate-texas-goes-unnoticed-main-stream-media|title=Grass Roots front runner for Senate in Texas goes unnoticed in Main Stream Media, February 15, 2014|publisher=examinercom|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>[[Greta Van Susteren]] of [[Fox News]] called Stovall a "jerk" for running the "turtle" ad against Senator McConnell: "You can be clever and funny in ads … or you can be gratuitously insulting."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Greta-Stovall-McConnell-turtle/2014/02/14/id/552955|title=Greta Slams Longshot GOP Candidate as 'Jerk' for McConnell Insult, February 14, 2014|publisher=newsmax.com|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

The established media, however, has largely ignored Stovall's candidacy. Stovall supporters claim the media is involved in the suppression of voices, such as Stovall, who oppose the powerful well-known names in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.examiner.com/article/grass-roots-front-runner-for-senate-texas-goes-unnoticed-main-stream-media|title=Grass Roots front runner for Senate in Texas goes unnoticed in Main Stream Media, February 15, 2014|publisher=examinercom|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>Greta Van Susteren of [[Fox News]] called Stovall a "jerk" for running the "turtle" ad against Senator McConnell: "You can be clever and funny in ads … or you can be gratuitously insulting."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Greta-Stovall-McConnell-turtle/2014/02/14/id/552955|title=Greta Slams Longshot GOP Candidate as 'Jerk' for McConnell Insult, February 14, 2014|publisher=newsmax.com|accessdate=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

   

   

Stovall, who often drives his truck alone to campaign events, considers himself as "an average Texan" who believes that the position of U.S. senator has "become grossly misused. ... A senator’s job is to look out for [his] state's respective interest, not the interests of the federal government."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kfyo.com/u-s-senate-candidate-dwayne-stovall-aims-to-bring-federalism-back-to-the-legislature-audio/|title=Ariel Walden, "U.S. Senate Candidate Dwayne Stovall Aims to Bring Federalism Back to the Legislature," November 13, 2013|publisher=KFYO-TV|accessdate=February 16, 2014}},/ref>

Stovall, who often drives his truck alone to campaign events, considers himself as "an average Texan" who believes that the position of U.S. senator has "become grossly misused. ... A senator’s job is to look out for [his] state's respective interest, not the interests of the federal government."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kfyo.com/u-s-senate-candidate-dwayne-stovall-aims-to-bring-federalism-back-to-the-legislature-audio/|title=Ariel Walden, "U.S. Senate Candidate Dwayne Stovall Aims to Bring Federalism Back to the Legislature," November 13, 2013|publisher=KFYO-TV|accessdate=February 16, 2014}},/ref>