Changes

Upham was an admirer of Ronald Reagan, whom he described as a man of principles who did not waver in his beliefs: "The thing about Ronald Reagan so many of us were so very, very proud of is that he didn’t worry about the polls," Upham told the ''Mineral Wells Index.''<ref name=upham/> He claimed in a 1983 interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' that former U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]], who was unseated by Reagan in 1980, "pushed" the Texas oil and gas industry "into the Republican Party. There's no question about it. The principles of the Republican Party are more akin to the things that oil and gas people are seeking."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A216888|author=Michael King|title=It All Leads Back to Texas|date=June 18, 2004|publisher=austinchronicle.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref>

Upham was an admirer of Ronald Reagan, whom he described as a man of principles who did not waver in his beliefs: "The thing about Ronald Reagan so many of us were so very, very proud of is that he didn’t worry about the polls," Upham told the ''Mineral Wells Index.''<ref name=upham/> He claimed in a 1983 interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' that former U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]], who was unseated by Reagan in 1980, "pushed" the Texas oil and gas industry "into the Republican Party. There's no question about it. The principles of the Republican Party are more akin to the things that oil and gas people are seeking."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A216888|author=Michael King|title=It All Leads Back to Texas|date=June 18, 2004|publisher=austinchronicle.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref>

Even as his chairmanship ended, Upham continued to work to nominate and elect various Republican candidates over the years, including Ed Hargett,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-MINERAL-WELLS-TX.html|title=Mineral Wells, TX, Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref> a former [[football]] star, who failed in a 1985 [[special election]] for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in East Texas. In 2002, Upham and later GOP state chairman Thomas Pauken worked to nominate former State Representative Kenn George of [[Dallas]], who lost the [[primary]] for Texas land commissioner to state Senator [[Jerry Patterson]], then of Harris County.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kenngeorge.com/endorsed.html|title=Kenn George for Texas Land Commissioner|publisher=kengeorge.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref>

Even as his chairmanship ended, Upham continued to work to nominate and elect various Republican candidates over the years, including Ed Hargett,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-MINERAL-WELLS-TX.html|title=Mineral Wells, TX, Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref> a former [[football]] star, who failed in a 1985 [[special election]] for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in East Texas. In 2002, Upham and later GOP state chairman Thomas Pauken worked to nominate former State Representative Kenn George of [[Dallas]], who lost the [[primary]] for Texas land commissioner to state Senator [[Jerry Patterson]], then of Harris County.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kenngeorge.com/endorsed.html|title=Kenn George for Texas Land Commissioner|publisher=kengeorge.com|accessdate=January 30, 2010; no longer on-line}}</ref>

Texas state Representative Jim Keffer from House District 60 said that Upham "shepherded Texas into a vibrant two-party system, giving many Texans a voice in government for the first time."<ref name=upham/> State Senator Craig Estes of [[Wichita Falls]], representing Senate District 30, likewise called Upham "a legendary pioneer in helping to grow the Republican Party of Texas."<ref>Senator Craig Estes statement on the passing of Chet Upham, accessed January 30, 2010; no longer on-line.</ref>

Texas state Representative Jim Keffer from House District 60 said that Upham "shepherded Texas into a vibrant two-party system, giving many Texans a voice in government for the first time."<ref name=upham/> State Senator Craig Estes of [[Wichita Falls]], representing Senate District 30, likewise called Upham "a legendary pioneer in helping to grow the Republican Party of Texas."<ref>Senator Craig Estes statement on the passing of Chet Upham, accessed January 30, 2010; no longer on-line.</ref>