Changes

After seven years on the city council representing District 5 in the northwestern portion of Longview, Dean was elected in 2005 as the mayor of Longview, which like all Texas mayors is a nominally non-partisan position. He won a special election for a one-year unexpired term created by the resignation of Murray Moore, who left office after serving only two years of his first term. Dean then won three three-year terms in 2006, 2009, and 2012. In the 2005 runoff contest, Dean's only close election, he edged Dr. Andy Mack (born c. 1960) by 434 votes, 5,022 to 4,588. A decade later, Mack was elected to succeed Dean, who by then was term-limited under municipal law.<ref name=mayor>{{cite web|url=https://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/may/18/building-consensus-key-longview-mayor-jay-deans-su/|title=Building consensus key to Longview mayor Jay Dean’s success|author=Richard Yeakley|date=May 18, 2015|publisher=''Longview News-Journal''|accessdate=April 5, 2016}}</ref> 

After seven years on the city council representing District 5 in the northwestern portion of Longview, Dean was elected in 2005 as the mayor of Longview, which like all Texas mayors is a nominally non-partisan position. He won a special election for a one-year unexpired term created by the resignation of Murray Moore, who left office after serving only two years of his first term. Dean then won three three-year terms in 2006, 2009, and 2012. In the 2005 runoff contest, Dean's only close election, he edged Dr. Andy Mack (born c. 1960) by 434 votes, 5,022 to 4,588. A decade later, Mack was elected to succeed Dean, who by then was term-limited under municipal law.<ref name=mayor>{{cite web|url=https://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/may/18/building-consensus-key-longview-mayor-jay-deans-su/|title=Building consensus key to Longview mayor Jay Dean’s success|author=Richard Yeakley|date=May 18, 2015|publisher=''Longview News-Journal''|accessdate=April 5, 2016}}</ref> 

 

 

Dean recalled his task of uniting the city council when he first became mayor: “The first thing was the decorum. ... To understand that we are not always going to agree, but we are going to respect one another when we disagree. We are going to conduct ourselves in such a way that the community would be proud of us. I found that everyone had a general want to work together; they just hadn’t been guided.”<ref name=mayor/> Longview employs an appointed [[city manager]] who handles the daily supervision of city departments and hence frees the mayor to be leader of the council.

Dean recalled his task of uniting the city council when he first became mayor: “The first thing was the decorum. ... To understand that we are not always going to agree, but we are going to respect one another when we disagree. We are going to conduct ourselves in such a way that the community would be proud of us. I found that everyone had a general want to work together; they just hadn’t been guided.”<ref name=mayor/> Longview employs an appointed city manager who handles the daily supervision of city departments and hence frees the mayor to be leader of the council.

 

 

Dean pushed for Longview to become a "Certified Retirement Community" and a "Certified Local Government" community. He pushed for infrastructure projects, a new animal control and adoption center and street work through a $52.6 million bond program approved by voters in 2011.<ref name=mayor/>

Dean pushed for Longview to become a "Certified Retirement Community" and a "Certified Local Government" community. He pushed for infrastructure projects, a new animal control and adoption center and street work through a $52.6 million bond program approved by voters in 2011.<ref name=mayor/>

 

 

No longer mayor, Dean won the Republican nomination for the House in the [[primary election]] held on March 1, 2016. He defeated [[David Watts]] of Upshur County, 14,607 votes (58 percent) to 10,588 (42 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist273_state.htm|title=Election Returns|date=March 1, 2016|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=April 4, 2016}}</ref> A minister and [[conservative]] activist, Watts had also run unsuccessfully in the 2014 primary for Texas land commissioner against [[George P. Bush]], son of former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]. Dean was supported by [[Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives|House Speaker]] [[Joe Straus]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[San Antonio]] closely allied with House [[Democratic Party|Democrats]], but Watts said that he would have voted against the retention of Straus as Speaker. Straus was himself handily re-nominated in the same primary in a large victory over conservative activist Jeff Judson. Dean proclaims that he too is a conservative: "I have been watching what our conservative Texas legislature has been doing,. I am excited to have a chance to be part of it.  exas has become the place where conservative ideas are not only tried but succeed.  We are a role model for the nation."<ref name=gilmermirror/>

No longer mayor, Dean won the Republican nomination for the House in the [[primary election]] held on March 1, 2016. He defeated [[David Watts]] of Upshur County, 14,607 votes (58 percent) to 10,588 (42 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist273_state.htm|title=Election Returns|date=March 1, 2016|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=April 4, 2016}}</ref> A minister and [[conservative]] activist, Watts had also run unsuccessfully in the 2014 primary for Texas land commissioner against [[George P. Bush]], son of former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]. Dean was supported by House Speaker [[Joe Straus]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[San Antonio]] closely allied with the [[Democratic Party|Democrats]], but Watts said that he would have voted against the retention of Straus as Speaker. Straus was himself handily re-nominated in the same primary in a large victory over conservative activist Jeff Judson. Dean proclaims that he too is a conservative: "I have been watching what our conservative Texas legislature has been doing,. I am excited to have a chance to be part of it. Texas has become the place where conservative ideas are not only tried but succeed.  We are a role model for the nation."<ref name=gilmermirror/>

 

 

As representative, Dean said that he will focus on issues related to East Texas: "I want people to see what we have going on here. It's important that we get a seat at the table, so when opportunities come about, they don't miss Longview." Dean noted that the [[oil]] and [[natural gas]] slump has depressed [[sales tax]] revenues at the municipal level and will in time impact the state budget as well.

As representative, Dean said that he will focus on issues related to East Texas: "I want people to see what we have going on here. It's important that we get a seat at the table, so when opportunities come about, they don't miss Longview." Dean noted that the [[oil]] and [[natural gas]] slump has depressed [[sales tax]] revenues at the municipal level and will in time impact the state budget as well.

With no Democratic opponent in the [[general election]] on November 8, Dean was automatically elected ito the state House. 

With no Democratic opponent in the [[general election]] on November 8, Dean was automatically elected ito the state House. 

 

 

==References==

==References==

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