Changes

Sibley was initially elected to the state Senate in a special election in 1991 from District 9, when incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]], where he served in a Waco-based district. On November 2, 2010, Edwards was unseated by Republican [[Bill Flores]] of [[College Station, Texas|College Station]]. In 1994, the McLennan County portion of District 9 was moved into District 22 because of extensive redistricting.​

Sibley was initially elected to the state Senate in a special election in 1991 from District 9, when incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]], where he served in a Waco-based district. On November 2, 2010, Edwards was unseated by Republican [[Bill Flores]] of [[College Station, Texas|College Station]]. In 1994, the McLennan County portion of District 9 was moved into District 22 because of extensive redistricting.​

 

As a senator, Sibley chaired the Business and Commerce Committee for four sessions. He carried bills to deregulate the telephone and electric industries. Late in 2000, he lost the Senate vote for lieutenant governor by a single ballot, 16-15.<ref name=stutz>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/03/david-sibley-wants-to-come-bac.html|author=Terrence Stutz|title=David Sibley wants to come back to Senate|date=March  17, 2010|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News|accessdate=September 19, 2010}}</ref> The vacancy was created when [[Rick Perry]] resigned to become governor upon the election of George W. Bush as president. Instead the position went to another Moderate Republican and a former Democrat, Bill Ratliff of Mt. Pleasant, in East Texas, who finished the remaining two years but did not seek a full term in 2002. Another Republican, Senator [[J. E. "Buster" Brown]] of Lake Jackson, had also sought the position before the final vote.<ref name=stutz/>

As a senator, Sibley chaired the Business and Commerce Committee for four sessions. He carried bills to deregulate the telephone and electric industries. Late in 2000, he lost the Senate vote for lieutenant governor by a single ballot, 16-15.<ref name=stutz>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/03/david-sibley-wants-to-come-bac.html|author=Terrence Stutz|title=David Sibley wants to come back to Senate|date=March  17, 2010|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News|accessdate=September 19, 2010}}</ref> The vacancy was created when [[Rick Perry]] resigned to become governor upon the election of George W. Bush as president. Instead the position went to another Moderate Republican and a former Democrat, Bill Ratliff of Mt. Pleasant, in East Texas, who finished the remaining two years but did not seek a full term in 2002. Another Republican, Senator [[J. E. "Buster" Brown]] of Lake Jackson, had also sought the position before the final vote.<ref name=stutz/>

Sibley, Ratliff, and Teel Bivins of [[Amarillo]] had formed something of a Texas senate triumvirate, known as the College of Cardinals, during the 1990s to make the institution supposedly to function more  smoothly. A Dallas blogger described Sibley's 2010 special election defeat as "unthinkable. He was one of the most talented, smart, and respected legislators.<ref name=unthinkable>{{cite web|url=http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/david-sibleys-u.html|title=David Sibley's unthinkable loss|date=June 23, 2010|publisher=dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref>​

Sibley, Ratliff, and Teel Bivins of [[Amarillo]] had formed something of a Texas senate triumvirate, known as the College of Cardinals, during the 1990s to make the institution supposedly to function more  smoothly. A Dallas blogger described Sibley's 2010 special election defeat as "unthinkable. He was one of the most talented, smart, and respected legislators.<ref name=unthinkable>{{cite web|url=http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/david-sibleys-u.html|title=David Sibley's unthinkable loss|date=June 23, 2010|publisher=dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref>​

 

In the March 2, 2010 Republican primary, Averitt won renomination to the Senate despite his announced intention to withdraw from the contest after the deadline had passed. Birdwell then won the special election as well as a lawsuit challenging his residency. Birdwell's Democrat opponent withdrew from the contest.<ref name=stutz/>​ Former state Representative Byron Cook, a Moderate Republican from Corsicana in Navarro County located within Senate District 22, endorsed Sibley's unsuccessful effort to return to the Senate in 2010. Cook described Sibley as having been "a workhorse" who spearheaded many of Governor Bush's "conservative reforms including tax cuts, economic development initiatives, tougher criminal penalties, and patient rights insurance reform."<ref name=cook/>​

In the March 2, 2010 Republican primary, Averitt won renomination to the Senate despite his announced intention to withdraw from the contest after the filing deadline had passed. Birdwell then won the special election over Sibley as well as a lawsuit challenging his residency. Birdwell's Democrat opponent withdrew from the contest.<ref name=stutz/>​ Former state Representative Byron Cook, a Moderate Republican from Corsicana in Navarro County located within Senate District 22, endorsed Sibley's unsuccessful effort to return to the Senate in 2010. Cook described Sibley as having been "a workhorse" who spearheaded many of Governor Bush's "conservative reforms including tax cuts, economic development initiatives, tougher criminal penalties, and patient rights insurance reform."<ref name=cook/>​

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