Changes

Swinford was first elected to the Texas House in 1990 to succeed fellow Republican [[Dick Waterfield]], a rancher from Canadian in Hemphill County,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=409&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=88~first=~gender=~last=Waterfield~leaderNote=~leg=70~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Legislative Reference Library: Richard Waterfield|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> who ran unsuccessfully as his party's nominee for the [[United States House of Representatives]], having been defeated by the incumbent Democrat [[Bill Sarpalius]] of Amarillo.

Swinford was first elected to the Texas House in 1990 to succeed fellow Republican [[Dick Waterfield]], a rancher from Canadian in Hemphill County,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=409&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=88~first=~gender=~last=Waterfield~leaderNote=~leg=70~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Legislative Reference Library: Richard Waterfield|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> who ran unsuccessfully as his party's nominee for the [[United States House of Representatives]], having been defeated by the incumbent Democrat [[Bill Sarpalius]] of Amarillo.

In 1992, Swinford won his second state House election by having defeated the Democrat Bonnie Schomp, 17,897 (54.9 percent) to 14,720 (45.1 percent). The two candidates virtually tied in Potter County, but Swinford's home base in Moore County put him over the top. In [[2002]], Swinford defeated the Democrat Jesse Quackenbush, 17,086 (65.8 percent) to 8,872 (34.2 percent). He was unopposed in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2006.

In 1992, Swinford won his second state House election by having defeated the Democrat Bonnie Schomp, 17,897 (54.9 percent) to 14,720 (45.1 percent). The two candidates virtually tied in Potter County, but Swinford's home base in Moore County put him over the top. In 2002, Swinford defeated the Democrat Jesse Quackenbush, 17,086 (65.8 percent) to 8,872 (34.2 percent). He was unopposed in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2006.

Swinford chaired the House State Affairs Committee. [[Leo Berman]], a Tyler Republican, complained publicly in May 2007 that Swinford had refused to consider any of a series of [[immigration]] restriction bills that he had offered. He claimed that illegal immigration costs Texas taxpayers $3.5 billion per year and creates havoc in hospital emergency rooms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digdeepertexas.com/category/leo-berman/|title=Oh, my, Berman had quite a little tantrum, it seems|publisher=digdeepertexas.com|accessdate=July 4, 2010}}</ref>   

Swinford chaired the House State Affairs Committee. [[Leo Berman]], a Tyler Republican, complained publicly in May 2007 that Swinford had refused to consider any of a series of [[immigration]] restriction bills that he had offered. He claimed that illegal immigration costs Texas taxpayers $3.5 billion per year and creates havoc in hospital emergency rooms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digdeepertexas.com/category/leo-berman/|title=Oh, my, Berman had quite a little tantrum, it seems|publisher=digdeepertexas.com|accessdate=July 4, 2010}}</ref>   

Swinford resides in [[Dumas, Texas|Dumas]], the seat of Moore County, some fifty miles north of Amarillo.

Swinford resides in [[Dumas, Texas|Dumas]], the seat of Moore County, some fifty miles north of Amarillo.

==Issues==

==Issues==