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'''Lance Carter Gooden''' (born December 1, 1982) is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]'s 5th congressional district. The district comprises several of the east [[Dallas]] suburbs and counties to the east and southeast of Dallas.

'''Lance Carter Gooden''' (born December 1, 1982) is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]'s 5th congressional district. The district comprises several of the east [[Dallas]] suburbs and counties to the east and southeast of Dallas.

He is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 4, which encompasses Kaufman and Henderson counties to the east of [[Dallas]]. A native of Terrell, Gooden, who is adopted, 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. He is married with one son, and his family are active members of the [[Churches of Christ]].

He is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 4, which encompasses Kaufman and Henderson counties to the east of [[Dallas]]. A native of Terrell, Gooden, who is adopted, 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. He is married with one son, and his family are active members of the [[Churches of Christ]].

   

   

In his first [[primary]] campaign in 2010, Gooden narrowly upset the six-term incumbent Republican Representative, Betty J. Brown (born 1939), 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> Gooden had five major contributors to his 2010 campaign, including the [[interest group]]s, the Texas Oil and Gas Association and Texans for Insurance Reform. He raised more than $277,000 in his first political campaign.  

In his first [[primary]] campaign in 2010, Gooden narrowly upset the six-term incumbent Republican Representative, Betty J. Brown (born 1939), 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> Gooden had five major contributors to his 2010 campaign, including the [[interest group]]s, the Texas Oil and Gas Association and Texans for Insurance Reform. He raised more than $277,000 in his first political campaign.  

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 served on these state House committees: Appropriations, County Affairs, and House Administration, the latter of which handles employment by the House.  

In 2010, Gooden had no Democrat opponent in his heavily Republican state House district.<ref>[https://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> He then 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, when Gooden did not seek a fourth non-consecutive term in the state House, Spitzer ran once again and polled nearly 46 percent of the ballots cast.<ref name=ereturns/> He then lost the runoff contest to intra-party rival Keith Bell to choose a nominee to succeed Gooden.<ref name=runoffresults/> Bell handily defeated Democrat Eston Williams in the general election in the predominantly Republican district.

In 2010, Gooden had no Democrat opponent in his heavily Republican state House district.<ref>[https://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> He then 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, when Gooden did not seek a fourth non-consecutive term in the state House, Spitzer ran once again and polled nearly 46 percent of the ballots cast.<ref name=ereturns/> He then lost the runoff contest to intra-party rival Keith Bell to choose a nominee to succeed Gooden.<ref name=runoffresults/> Bell handily defeated Democrat Eston Williams in the general election in the predominantly Republican district.