Changes

Though she had been unopposed for re-nomination in 2012, Harper-Brown had a tough reelection battle that fall against the Democrat, Rosemary R. Robbins (born c. 1948), an educator from Irving. Harper-Brown polled 21,705 votes (50.06 percent) to Robbins' 20,923 (48.3 percent). The [[Green Party]] candidate, Saul Arechar, held the remaining 724 votes (1.7 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, General election returns (House District 105), November 6, 2012.</ref> In 2013 in her last regular legislative session, Harper-Brown chaired the Government Efficiency and Reform Committee. She also served on the House Transportation Committee.<ref name=votesmart/> In 2012, the Texas Ethics Commission fined her $2,000 for failure to disclose on financial forms her use of a 2010 [[Mercedes-Benz]] E550 sedan and a 2004 [[Chevrolet]] Tahoe owned by state transportation contractor Jeffrey C. Bryan of Durable Enterprises Equipment, Ltd. Andrew Wheat of the [[interest group]] Texans for Public Justice called the fine "a Chevrolet penalty for a Mercedes crime."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20120420-irving-state-representative-linda-harper-brown-fined-2000-over-use-of-cars-owned-by-state-contractor.ece|title=Irving state representative Linda Harper-Brown fined $2,000 over use of cars owned by state contractor, April 20, 2012|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=March 10, 2014}}</ref>​

Though she had been unopposed for re-nomination in 2012, Harper-Brown had a tough reelection battle that fall against the Democrat, Rosemary R. Robbins (born c. 1948), an educator from Irving. Harper-Brown polled 21,705 votes (50.06 percent) to Robbins' 20,923 (48.3 percent). The [[Green Party]] candidate, Saul Arechar, held the remaining 724 votes (1.7 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, General election returns (House District 105), November 6, 2012.</ref> In 2013 in her last regular legislative session, Harper-Brown chaired the Government Efficiency and Reform Committee. She also served on the House Transportation Committee.<ref name=votesmart/> In 2012, the Texas Ethics Commission fined her $2,000 for failure to disclose on financial forms her use of a 2010 [[Mercedes-Benz]] E550 sedan and a 2004 [[Chevrolet]] Tahoe owned by state transportation contractor Jeffrey C. Bryan of Durable Enterprises Equipment, Ltd. Andrew Wheat of the [[interest group]] Texans for Public Justice called the fine "a Chevrolet penalty for a Mercedes crime."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20120420-irving-state-representative-linda-harper-brown-fined-2000-over-use-of-cars-owned-by-state-contractor.ece|title=Irving state representative Linda Harper-Brown fined $2,000 over use of cars owned by state contractor, April 20, 2012|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=March 10, 2014}}</ref>​

===Legislative positions===​

===Legislative positions===

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A [[pro-life]] legislator, Harper-Brown supported in 2013 the ban on [[abortion]] after twenty weeks of [[gestation]]; the measure passed the House, 96-49. She co-sponsored companion legislation to increase medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers.<ref name=votingrecords/> These issues brought forth an unsuccessful [[filibuster]] in the state Senate by Wendy Russell Davis of Fort Worth, who in 2014 lost the gubernatorial general election to Republican [[Greg Abbott]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill|author=Manny Fernandez|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/politics/senate-democrats-in-texas-try-blocking-abortion-bill-with-filibuster.html|newspaper=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 25, 2013|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref> The Texas [[Right to Life]] Committee rated Harper-Brown 83 percent favorable in 2013, 75 percent in 2011.<ref name=ratings/>​

A [[pro-life]] legislator, Harper-Brown supported in 2013 the ban on [[abortion]] after twenty weeks of [[gestation]]; the measure passed the House, 96-49. She co-sponsored companion legislation to increase medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers.<ref name=votingrecords/> These issues brought forth an unsuccessful [[filibuster]] in the state Senate by Wendy Russell Davis of Fort Worth, who in 2014 lost the gubernatorial general election to Republican [[Greg Abbott]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill|author=Manny Fernandez|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/politics/senate-democrats-in-texas-try-blocking-abortion-bill-with-filibuster.html|newspaper=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 25, 2013|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref> The Texas [[Right to Life]] Committee rated Harper-Brown 83 percent favorable in 2013, 75 percent in 2011.<ref name=ratings/>​

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In 2013, [[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s [[Eagle Forum]], then managed in Texas by [[Cathie Adams]], a former state chairman of the Texas Republican Party, rated Harper-Brown 82 percent favorable, 43 percent in 2011, and 92 percent in 2009. The Young Conservatives of Texas gave her a lifetime score of 80 percent. The Texas League of Conservation Voters rated her 64 percent; the [[Sierra Club]], 25 percent in 2011. The interest group, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, founded by Michael Quinn Sullivan, rated her 65 percent favorable in 2013, 88 percent in 2011. The Texas Association of Business rated her 90 percent favorable throughout her House tenure. The [[National Rifle Association]] rated her 92 percent. In 2009, the [[Libertarian Party]] scored her 68 percent favorable on issues of economic freedom and personal liberties.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/49633/linda-harper-brown#.Ux09Q8uPIfg|title=Linda Harper-Brown's Ratings and Endorsements|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref>​

In 2013, [[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s [[Eagle Forum]], then managed in Texas by [[Cathie Adams]], a former state chairman of the Texas Republican Party, rated Harper-Brown 82 percent favorable, 43 percent in 2011, and 92 percent in 2009. The Young Conservatives of Texas gave her a lifetime score of 80 percent. The Texas League of Conservation Voters rated her 64 percent; the [[Sierra Club]], 25 percent in 2011. The interest group, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, founded by Michael Quinn Sullivan, rated her 65 percent favorable in 2013, 88 percent in 2011. The Texas Association of Business rated her 90 percent favorable throughout her House tenure. The [[National Rifle Association]] rated her 92 percent. In 2009, the [[Libertarian Party]] scored her 68 percent favorable on issues of economic freedom and personal liberties.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/49633/linda-harper-brown#.Ux09Q8uPIfg|title=Linda Harper-Brown's Ratings and Endorsements|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref>​

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===Choosing a successor to Harper-Brown===​

 

==Choosing her successor==​

Rodney Anderson unseated Harper-Brown in the Republican primary in 2014. In the Democratic primary, Susan Denara Motley (born c. 1970) led a three-candidate field with 1,171 votes (47.3 percent) and  faced the runner up, Terry Meza (born c. 1949), who polled 704 votes (28.4 percent), in the second round of balloting. Bernice Montgomery, the third Democratic candidate, held a critical 601 votes (24.3 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Democratic primary election returns (House District 105), March 4, 2014.</ref> Anderson was the representative from neighboring District 106 from 2011 to 2013; he did not seek a second term in 2012 because the [[redistricting]] based on the 2010 census was unfavorable to his political prospects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/in-district-105-irving-and-grand-prairie-wait-to-see-if-a-statehouse-vet-will-survive-her-primary.html/|author=Avi Selk|title=Anderson unseats Rep. Harper-Brown in District 105 as Democrats head into runoff|date-March 4, 2014|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=March 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5710&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=~first=Rodney~gender=~last=Anderson~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Rodney Anderson|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref>​

Rodney Anderson unseated Harper-Brown in the Republican primary in 2014. In the Democratic primary, Susan Denara Motley (born c. 1970) led a three-candidate field with 1,171 votes (47.3 percent) and  faced the runner up, Terry Meza (born c. 1949), who polled 704 votes (28.4 percent), in the second round of balloting. Bernice Montgomery, the third Democratic candidate, held a critical 601 votes (24.3 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Democratic primary election returns (House District 105), March 4, 2014.</ref> Anderson was the representative from neighboring District 106 from 2011 to 2013; he did not seek a second term in 2012 because the [[redistricting]] based on the 2010 census was unfavorable to his political prospects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/in-district-105-irving-and-grand-prairie-wait-to-see-if-a-statehouse-vet-will-survive-her-primary.html/|author=Avi Selk|title=Anderson unseats Rep. Harper-Brown in District 105 as Democrats head into runoff|date-March 4, 2014|publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=March 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5710&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=~first=Rodney~gender=~last=Anderson~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Rodney Anderson|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=July 11, 2020}}</ref>​