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A native of Monahans in Ward County in West Texas, Casteel graduated in 1961 from Monahans High School.<ref name=lrl>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/bios/TLO/79th_Casteel_Carter.pdf|title=House Membership: Representative Carter Casteel|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref> In 1965, Casteel received her Bachelor of Arts from the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] at [[Austin]]. She subsequently procured her [[Master of Arts]] in 1971 from Texas State University, then known as Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos (the alma mater of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]), and her [[Juris Doctor]]ate in 1985 from St. Mary's University School of Law in [[San Antonio]], Texas.<ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjHG8uPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Biography|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

A native of Monahans in Ward County in West Texas, Casteel graduated in 1961 from Monahans High School.<ref name=lrl>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/bios/TLO/79th_Casteel_Carter.pdf|title=House Membership: Representative Carter Casteel|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref> In 1965, Casteel received her Bachelor of Arts from the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] at [[Austin]]. She subsequently procured her [[Master of Arts]] in 1971 from Texas State University, then known as Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos (the alma mater of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]), and her [[Juris Doctor]]ate in 1985 from St. Mary's University School of Law in [[San Antonio]], Texas.<ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjHG8uPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Biography|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

Casteel was a classroom teacher at Porter Junior High School for the Austin Independent School District from 1965 to 1973 and then at Canyon Lake High School for the Comal Independent School District from 1974 until 1982.<ref name=dancing>{{cite web|url=http://www.razoo.com/story/Carter-Casteel-Dancing-With-The-Stars-Of-New-Braunfels|title=Carter Casteel: Dancing with the Stars of New Braunfels|publisher=razoo.com|accessdate=February 22, 2014; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> In 1978, she was elected president of the Comal Educators Association.<ref name=votesmart/> After working for two years with another attorney, Casteel opened her own law practice in 1987.<ref name=dancing/>In 1989, she was the president of the county bar association.<ref name=votesmart/>

Casteel was a classroom teacher at Porter Junior High School for the Austin Independent School District from 1965 to 1973 and then at Canyon Lake High School for the Comal Independent School District from 1974 until 1982.<ref name=dancing>{{cite web|url=http://www.razoo.com/story/Carter-Casteel-Dancing-With-The-Stars-Of-New-Braunfels|title=Carter Casteel: Dancing with the Stars of New Braunfels|publisher=razoo.com|accessdate=February 22, 2014; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> In 1978, she was elected president of the Comal Educators Association.<ref name=votesmart/> After working for two years with another attorney, Casteel opened her own law practice in 1987.<ref name=dancing/> In 1989, she was the president of the county bar association.<ref name=votesmart/>

In 1988, Republican [[Governor]] [[Bill Clements]] named her to a two-year appointment to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Board. She is a past director of both Citizens Bank and Norwest Bank as well as KLRN-TV, the [[PBS]] outlet in San Antonio. She has been affiliated with the American Association of University Women, [[United Way]], the Comal County Fair Association, and the boards of ''Battleship Texas'' and the restored historic Brauntex Theatre in downtown New Braunfels. She is a member of Rotary International and the [[Chamber of Commerce]], through which capacity she is a past chairman of the Guadalupe River Study Group. She is a member of several Republican women's organizations in her area. A [[United Methodist]], Casteel is also a former charter member of the non-denominational Church in the Valley in Canyon Lake.<ref name=votesmart/>

In 1988, Republican [[Governor]] [[Bill Clements]] named her to a two-year appointment to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Board. She is a past director of both Citizens Bank and Norwest Bank as well as KLRN-TV, the [[PBS]] outlet in San Antonio. She has been affiliated with the American Association of University Women, [[United Way]], the Comal County Fair Association, and the boards of ''Battleship Texas'' and the restored historic Brauntex Theatre in downtown New Braunfels. She is a member of Rotary International and the [[Chamber of Commerce]], through which capacity she is a past chairman of the Guadalupe River Study Group. She is a member of several Republican women's organizations in her area. A [[United Methodist]], Casteel is also a former charter member of the non-denominational Church in the Valley in Canyon Lake.<ref name=votesmart/>

==Political life==

==Political life==

From 1984 to 1990, Casteel held the nonpartisan position of trustee of the Comal Independent School District. She was elected county judge in 1990 and remained in that post for two terms until 1998.<ref name=votesmart/>As county judge, she wrestled with the urban sprawl into Comal County from San Antonio and the need to find new water resources to compensate for inadequate wells and to conserve what is already available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texaslivingwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/tlw-news-1-21-02.pdf|title=Comal County, Texas, Grapples with Rapid Development, Critical Water Situation|date=January 21, 2002|publisher=texaslivingwaters.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

From 1984 to 1990, Casteel held the nonpartisan position of trustee of the Comal Independent School District. She was elected county judge in 1990 and remained in that post for two terms until 1998.<ref name=votesmart/> As county judge, she wrestled with the urban sprawl into Comal County from San Antonio and the need to find new water resources to compensate for inadequate wells and to conserve what is already available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texaslivingwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/tlw-news-1-21-02.pdf|title=Comal County, Texas, Grapples with Rapid Development, Critical Water Situation|date=January 21, 2002|publisher=texaslivingwaters.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

In her first legislative race on March 12, 2002, Casteel defeated Diane Sue Dasher (born c. 1954) of Bulverde, 9,290 votes (54 percent) to 7,916 (46 percent) in the Republican [[primary]]. The incumbent [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Robert Ray "Bob" Turner, did not seek reelection.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 12, 2002.</ref> In the [[general election]], Casteel defeated the Democrat Virgil Yanta, 35,314 votes (79.1 percent) to 9,305 (20.9 percent)<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), November 5, 2002.</ref> In May 2003, Castell and John Mabry, Jr., a Democrat from [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], were named "Freshmen Members of the Year" by their colleagues.<ref name=lrl/>

In her first legislative race on March 12, 2002, Casteel defeated Diane Sue Dasher (born c. 1954) of Bulverde, 9,290 votes (54 percent) to 7,916 (46 percent) in the Republican [[primary]]. The incumbent [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Robert Ray "Bob" Turner, did not seek reelection.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 12, 2002.</ref> In the [[general election]], Casteel defeated the Democrat Virgil Yanta, 35,314 votes (79.1 percent) to 9,305 (20.9 percent)<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), November 5, 2002.</ref> In May 2003, Castell and John Mabry, Jr., a Democrat from [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], were named "Freshmen Members of the Year" by their colleagues.<ref name=lrl/>

Casteel ran without primary or general election opposition in 2004, but in the 2006 Republican primary, she lost her bid for a third term by forty-six votes. Her more conservative challenger, [[Nathan Macias]], an [[Hispanic]] [[business]]man and public policy analyst from Bulverde, polled 10,183 votes (50.1 percent) to her 10,137 ballots (49.9 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 7, 2006.</ref>  

Casteel ran without primary or general election opposition in 2004, but in the 2006 Republican primary, she lost her bid for a third term by forty-six votes. Her more conservative challenger, [[Nathan Macias]], an [[Hispanic]] [[business]]man and public policy analyst from Bulverde, polled 10,183 votes (50.1 percent) to her 10,137 ballots (49.9 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 7, 2006.</ref>  

In the 2008 Republican primary, [[Moderate Republican]] [[Doug Miller (Texas politician)|Douglas Ray Miller, I]], a former [[mayor]] of New Braunfels, unseated Macias by 17 votes, 14,684 (50.02 percent) to 14,667 (49.97 percent)<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 4, 2008.</ref> In a special legislative session on May 15, 2006, after she had been defeated for re-nomination, Casteel voted against a reduction in [[property tax]]es, but the measure passed the House, 89-56. A few weeks earlier she voted to raise [[tobacco]] taxes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjXpcuPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Voting Records|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

In the 2008 Republican primary, [[Moderate Republican]] [[Doug Miller (Texas politician)|Douglas Ray Miller, I]], a former [[mayor]] of New Braunfels, unseated Macias by 17 votes, 14,684 (50.02 percent) to 14,667 (49.97 percent)<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns (state House of Representatives), March 4, 2008.</ref> In a special legislative session on May 15, 2006, after she had been defeated for re-nomination, Casteel voted against a reduction in [[property tax]]es, but the measure passed the House, 89–56. A few weeks earlier she voted to raise [[tobacco]] taxes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjXpcuPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Voting Records|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

As a legislator, Casteel was rated 67 percent conservative in 2003 by [[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s [[Eagle Forum]], then managed in Texas by [[Cathie Adams]], a former chairman of the Texas Republican Party. Her Eagle Forum rating dropped to 52 percent in 2005. By contrast, her successor Nathan Macias had a 96 percent Eagle Forum score in his one term in the office. The Young Conservatives of Texas ranked her 53 percent. She was rated 90 percent by Texas [[Right to Life]] Committee in 2003 but 75 percent in 2005. The National Abortion Rights Action League ranked her 27 percent in 2005. The Texas League of Conservation Voters rated her 21 percent in 2003 but only 8 percent in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjWVcuPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Interest Group Ratings|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 28, 2020}}</ref>

As a legislator, Casteel was rated 67 percent conservative in 2003 by [[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s [[Eagle Forum]], then managed in Texas by [[Cathie Adams]], a former chairman of the Texas Republican Party. Her Eagle Forum rating dropped to 52 percent in 2005. By contrast, her successor Nathan Macias had a 96 percent Eagle Forum score in his one term in the office. The Young Conservatives of Texas ranked her 53 percent. She was rated 90 percent by Texas [[Right to Life]] Committee in 2003 but 75 percent in 2005. The National Abortion Rights Action League ranked her 27 percent in 2005. The Texas League of Conservation Voters rated her 21 percent in 2003 but only 8 percent in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/49891/carter-casteel#.UwjWVcuPIfg|title=Carter Casteel's Interest Group Ratings|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 28, 2020}}</ref>