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==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 did not obtain a degree from TSU.

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=January 6, 2020}}</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 did not obtain a degree from TSU.

   

   

While attending SWTSU, Stovall began employment in shift work at the Atlantic Richfield refinery in Pasadena, also near Houston, 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, also near Houston, 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/>  

He received  considerable attention from a television advertisement that first aired in early February 2014 in which he ridicules Senate Majority Leader [[Mitch McConnell]] of [[Kentucky]], then the minority leader and Cornyn's superior in the Senate leadership, as an ineffective "Beltway turtle".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://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 Majority Leader [[Mitch McConnell]] of [[Kentucky]], then the minority leader and Cornyn's superior in the Senate leadership, as an ineffective "Beltway turtle".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://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, had until the turtle ad largely ignored Stovall's candidacy. His supporters claim the media is involved in the suppression of voices, such as Stovall, who oppose 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=https://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> Since Stovall's ad, McConnell's critics have repeatedly referred to him as a "turtle."

The established media, however, had until the turtle ad largely ignored Stovall's candidacy. His supporters claimed the media is involved in the suppression of voices, such as Stovall, who oppose 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]], formerly 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=https://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> Since Stovall's ad, McConnell's critics have repeatedly referred to him as a "turtle."

   

   

Stovall, who often drove 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 drove 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>