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'''Lance Gooden''' (born December 1, 1982) is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 4, which encompasses Kaufman County and a portion of Henderson County. In the 2010 [[primary election]], Gooden narrowly upset the six-term incumbent Republican Representative Betty Brown, having polled 50.5 percent of the vote.<ref>[http://www.athensreview.com/breakingnews/x1834681217/Gooden-upsets-incumbent-Brown  "Gooden upsets Brown" ''Athens Review'' March 3, 2010]</ref>  

'''Lance Gooden''' (born December 1, 1982) is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 4, which encompasses Kaufman County and a portion of Henderson County. In the 2010 [[primary election]], Gooden narrowly upset the six-term incumbent Republican Representative Betty Brown with 50.5 percent of the vote.<ref>[http://www.athensreview.com/breakingnews/x1834681217/Gooden-upsets-incumbent-Brown  "Gooden upsets Brown" ''Athens Review'' March 3, 2010]</ref>  

A native of Terrell, a small city east of [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], [[Texas]], Gooden graduated from the [[University of Texas]] at [[Austin]], from which he received both a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in government and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

A native of Terrell, a small city east of [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], [[Texas]], Gooden graduated from the [[University of Texas]] at [[Austin]], from which he received both a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in government and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Upon taking office early in 2011, Gooden worked on the state budget in an attempt to eliminate wasteful spending. He serves on these House committees: Appropriations, County Affairs, and House Administration, the latter of which handles employment by the House.  

Upon taking office early in 2011, Gooden worked on the state budget in an attempt to eliminate wasteful spending. He serves on these House committees: Appropriations, County Affairs, and House Administration, the latter of which handles employment by the House.  

In 2010, Gooden had no [[Democratic]] opponent in his heavily Republican district.<ref>[http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100104-Tough-fights-for-Texas-House-shape-8632.ece ''Dallas News'']</ref><ref>[http://www.kaufmanherald.com/articles/2010/03/04/news/doc4b8fdf3519325787303344.txt '' Kaufmann Herald'']</ref>  

In 2010, Gooden had no [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] opponent in his heavily Republican district.<ref>[http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100104-Tough-fights-for-Texas-House-shape-8632.ece ''Dallas News'']</ref><ref>[http://www.kaufmanherald.com/articles/2010/03/04/news/doc4b8fdf3519325787303344.txt '' Kaufmann Herald'']</ref>  

   

   

Gooden won renomination to a second term in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012. He polled 6,385 votes (53.5 percent) to 5,545 (46.5 percent) for his opponent Stuart Spitzer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/may29_160_state.htm|title=Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012|publisher=enr.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=May 30, 2012}}</ref> In 2014, Spitzer unseated Gooden in the Republican primary, but Gooden returned in triumph in the Republican primary held on March 1, 2016. In the primary held on March 6, 2018, however, Spitzer led with 46 percent of the ballots cast and appeared headed into a May 22 runoff with the second-placed candidate, not yet determined.

Gooden won renomination to a second term in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012. He polled 6,385 votes (53.5 percent) to 5,545 (46.5 percent) for his more [[conservative]] opponent, the physician Stuart Spitzer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/may29_160_state.htm|title=Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012|publisher=enr.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=May 30, 2012}}</ref> In 2014, Spitzer unseated Gooden in the Republican primary, but Gooden returned in triumph in the Republican primary held on March 1, 2016. In the primary held on March 6, 2018, however, Spitzer led with 46 percent of the ballots cast and appeared headed into a May 22 runoff with the second-placed candidate, not yet determined.

In the 2018 primary, did not seek reelection to the state House but instead led an eight-candidate field for Texas' 5th congressional district seat being vacated by the retiring [[Jeb Hensarling]]. With more than a third of the ballots in the primary, Gooden is headed into a runoff election on May 22 with leading opponent Bunni Pounds.

In the 2018 primary, Gooden did not seek reelection to the state House but instead led an eight-candidate field for Texas' 5th congressional district seat being vacated by the retiring [[Jeb Hensarling]]. With more than a third of the ballots in the primary, Gooden is headed into a runoff election on May 22 with leading opponent Bunni Pounds.

==References==  

==References==