Changes

{{Infobox person

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Kenneth Broderick "Ken" Mercer<br>

|name=Kenneth Broderick "Ken" Mercer<br>

(Member of the<br>Texas State Board of Education)

|office=Member of the<br>Texas State Board of Education

|office2=Texas State Representative for District 117 (Bexar County)

|birth_date=July 1955

|birth_date=July 1955

|birth_place=[[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]

|birth_place=[[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]

'''Kenneth Broderick Mercer''', known as '''Ken Mercer''' (born July 1955), is a technology project manager and a [[Republican]] politician from his native [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]. For one term from 2003 to 2005, he was the District 117 member of the Texas House of Representatives.<ref name=tlrl>{{cite web|url=

'''Kenneth Broderick Mercer''', known as '''Ken Mercer''' (born July 1955), is a technology project manager and a [[Republican]] politician from his native [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]. For one term from 2003 to 2005, he was the District 117 member of the Texas House of Representatives.<ref name=tlrl>{{cite web|url=

http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5571&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=117~first=~gender=~last=Mercer~leaderNote=~leg=78~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=

http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5571&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=117~first=~gender=~last=Mercer~leaderNote=~leg=78~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=

Ken Mercer|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref> In 2004, he won the first of his currently three terms on the elected Texas State Board of Education as the representative for District 5, which includes all of eleven counties plus portions of populous Bexar and Travis counties.

Ken Mercer|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref> In 2004, he won the first of his currently four terms on the elected Texas State Board of Education as the representative for District 5, which includes all of eleven counties plus portions of populous Bexar and Travis counties.

==Background==

==Background==

On November 5, 2002, Mercer defeated the [[Democrat]] Raul Prado for the right to succeed the retiring five-term Democrat Representative John Amos Longoria. Mercer polled 12,703 (59 percent) to Prado's 8,138 (41 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist95_state.htm|title=2002 General Election|date=November 5, 2002|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In the House, Mercer served on the Higher Education, House Administration, and Transportation committees.<ref name=tlrl/>

On November 5, 2002, Mercer defeated the [[Democrat]] Raul Prado for the right to succeed the retiring five-term Democrat Representative John Amos Longoria. Mercer polled 12,703 (59 percent) to Prado's 8,138 (41 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist95_state.htm|title=2002 General Election|date=November 5, 2002|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In the House, Mercer served on the Higher Education, House Administration, and Transportation committees.<ref name=tlrl/>

In 2003, Mercer was named "Legislator of the Year" by the San Antonio Police Officer’s Association. He is a former member of the Texas Homeland Security Council and formerly served on the Texas State Republican Executive Committee.<ref name=sboe/>  

In 2003, Mercer was named "Legislator of the Year" by the San Antonio Police Officer’s Association. He is a former member of the Texas Homeland Security Council and formerly served on the Texas State Republican Executive Committee.<ref name=sboe/> On November 2, 2004, Mercer lost by 498 votes his bid for a second term in the House. He received 19,209 votes (49.4 percent) to 19,707 (50.6 percent) for the Democrat David McQuade Leibowitz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist114_state.htm|title=2004 General Election|date=November 2, 2004|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

On November 2, 2004, Mercer lost by 498 votes his bid for a second term in the House. He received 19,209 votes (49.4 percent) to 19,707 (50.6 percent) for the Democrat David McQuade Leibowitz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist114_state.htm|title=2004 General Election|date=November 2, 2004|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

In 2006, Mercer rebounded politically to unseat fellow Republican Dan Montgomery in the race for the Texas Board of Education. After an indecisive [[primary election]], Mercer prevailed in a runoff contest, 13,359 votes (61.4 percent) to 7,776 (38.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist125_state.htm|title=2006 Republican Party Primary Runoff Election|date=April 11, 2006|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In the [[general election]], Mercer defeated the [[Libertarian Party]] candidate, Bill Oliver, 234,807 (71.1 percent) to 95,406 (28.9 percent). No Democrat filed for the seat that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist127_state.htm|title=2006 General Election|date-November 7, 2006|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

In 2006, Mercer rebounded politically to unseat fellow Republican Dan Montgomery in the race for the Texas Board of Education. After an indecisive [[primary election]], Mercer prevailed in a runoff contest, 13,359 votes (61.4 percent) to 7,776 (38.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist125_state.htm|title=2006 Republican Party Primary Runoff Election|date=April 11, 2006|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In the [[general election]], Mercer defeated the [[Libertarian Party]] candidate, Bill Oliver, 234,807 (71.1 percent) to 95,406 (28.9 percent). No Democrat filed for the seat that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist127_state.htm|title=2006 General Election|date-November 7, 2006|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

Mercer sits on the state board's school finance committee which oversees the Permanent School Fund, the largest education endowment in the United States. He is a member of the state board's Committee on School Initiatives and the vice chairman of the committees on School Initiatives and Instruction.<ref name=sboe/> Mercer has been known for his [[conservative]] views regarding the formulation of state standards in science and history. He is politically allied with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and supported the failed bid of [[United States Senator]] [[Ted Cruz]] of Texas for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.<ref name=fbook>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/KenMercerTX/|title=Ken Mercer|publisher=[[Facebook]]|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

Mercer sits on the state board's school finance committee which oversees the Permanent School Fund, the largest education endowment in the United States. He is a member of the state board's Committee on School Initiatives and the vice chairman of the committees on School Initiatives and Instruction.<ref name=sboe/> Mercer has been known for his [[conservative]] views regarding the formulation of state standards in science and history. He is politically allied with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and supported the failed bid of [[United States Senator]] [[Ted Cruz]] of Texas for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.<ref name=fbook>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/KenMercerTX/|title=Ken Mercer|publisher=[[Facebook]]|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>

On March 1, 2016, Mercer was a candidate for re-nomination to a fourth term on the state board in the Republican primary election.  [[Wayne Christian]], a former state House member and the incoming Republican member of the [[Texas Railroad Commission]], called Mercer "a rock-solid conservative with the backbone to stand up to the Far Left!"<ref name=fbook/> In the November 8 general election, Mercer again defeated the Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau, who had described him as "a solid vote for the most extreme and misguided decisions. He's still pushing for a vision of public education that is really contrary to how we were founded as a nation, the idea that free public education was a backbone of our nation."<ref name=ggarcia>Gilbert Garcia, "Professor makes 3rd run at SBOE stalwart", ''San Antonio Express-News'', August 19, 2016, p. A2</ref> In her statement against Mercer, Bell-Metereau implied that public education dates to 1789 instead of primarily the latter half of the nineteenth century. She questions Mercer's support for expanded [[charter school]]s and the emphasis in Texas on standardized testing. An advocate of American exceptionalism, Mercer rejects [[Charles Darwin]]'s [[theory of evolution]],<ref name=ggarcia/>

On March 1, 2016, Mercer was a candidate for re-nomination to a fourth term on the state board in the Republican primary election.  [[Wayne Christian]], a former state House member and a Republican member of the [[Texas Railroad Commission]], called Mercer "a rock-solid conservative with the backbone to stand up to the Far Left!"<ref name=fbook/> In the November 8 general election, Mercer again defeated the Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau, who had described him as "a solid vote for the most extreme and misguided decisions. He's still pushing for a vision of public education that is really contrary to how we were founded as a nation, the idea that free public education was a backbone of our nation."<ref name=ggarcia>Gilbert Garcia, "Professor makes 3rd run at SBOE stalwart", ''San Antonio Express-News'', August 19, 2016, p. A2</ref> In her statement against Mercer, Bell-Metereau implied that public education dates to 1789 instead of primarily the latter half of the nineteenth century. She questions Mercer's support for expanded [[charter school]]s and the emphasis in Texas on standardized testing. An advocate of American exceptionalism, Mercer rejects [[Charles Darwin]]'s [[theory of evolution]],<ref name=ggarcia/>

Though he lost the [[Austin]] precincts, Mercer defeated Bell-Metereau in the overall District 5, 382,914 votes (49.6 percent) to 352,097 (45.6 percent). The remaining 36,412 ballots (4.7 percent) went to Ricardo Perkins, nominee of the [[Libertarian Party]]. Had the Libertarians voted for Bell-Metereau, she would have unseated Mercer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/nov08_319_state.htm|title=Election Returns|date=November 8, 2016|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=November 9, 2016}}</ref>

Though he lost the [[Austin]] precincts, Mercer defeated Bell-Metereau in the overall District 5, 382,914 votes (49.6 percent) to 352,097 (45.6 percent). The remaining 36,412 ballots (4.7 percent) went to Ricardo Perkins, nominee of the [[Libertarian Party]]. Had the Libertarians voted for Bell-Metereau, she would have unseated Mercer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/nov08_319_state.htm|title=Election Returns|date=November 8, 2016|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=November 9, 2016}}</ref>

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Education]]

[[Category:Education]]