Changes

In the recently-concluded 82nd Legislature, Christian was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by the ''Texas Conservative Digest'', and scored a 100 percent conservative rating on the Texas Eagle Forum scorecard, as well as an A+ rating from the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Christian has worked on such lingering issues as the future of power plants in East Texas and settling the 30-year water level problems of Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Sabine River, located on the Texas/[[Louisiana]] border.<ref name=aboutchr/>  

In the recently-concluded 82nd Legislature, Christian was awarded "Legislator of the Year" by the ''Texas Conservative Digest'', and scored a 100 percent conservative rating on the Texas Eagle Forum scorecard, as well as an A+ rating from the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Christian has worked on such lingering issues as the future of power plants in East Texas and settling the 30-year water level problems of Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Sabine River, located on the Texas/[[Louisiana]] border.<ref name=aboutchr/>  

In 1996, Christian won his initial two-year term in the state House with less than 51 percent of the general election vote. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for the seat now held by fellow Republican [[Louie Gohmert]] of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]]. In 2007, Christian returned to the Texas House after a two-year absence. He unseated freshman Representative Roy Morris Blake, Jr., of Nacogdoches in the March 2006 Republican primary, and Christian was unopposed in the following general election. He has since retained his seat by comfortable margins. He was reelected in 2010 with 72 percent of the vote cast.<ref name=ttrib/>

In 1996, Christian won his initial two-year term in the state House with less than 51 percent of the general election vote. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for the seat now held by fellow Republican [[Louie Gohmert]] of Tyler, Texas. In 2007, Christian returned to the Texas House after a two-year absence. Christian unseated freshman Representative Roy Morris Blake, Jr., of Nacogdoches in the March 2006 Republican primary and was unopposed in the general election. He has since retained his seat by comfortable margins. He was reelected in 2010 with 72 percent of the vote cast.<ref name=ttrib/>

In 2009, Christian obtained passage of a controversial amendment sponsored by a legislative ally, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, a Republican from Mauriceville in Orange County in far southeastern Texas, that allows Christian and a handful of neighbors on the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston, Texas, to rebuild beachfront houses destroyed by [[Hurricane Ike]]. While the measure was strongly opposed by Commissioner of the General Land Office [[Jerry E. Patterson]], who said he would not enforce it if passed, it easily passed through the House with almost no objection. Governor [[Rick Perry]] let the bill, and subsequently the Hamilton amendment, become law without his signature, a prerogative of the governor.<ref name=amendment>{{cite web|url=http://www.statesman.com/search/content/region/legislature/stories/06/05/0605beach.html|title=Danny Yadron, "Post-Hurricane Ike amendment would let legislator rebuild," June 5, 2009|publisher=''Austin American Statesman''|accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Christian denied that the amendment is at odds with the Texas Open Beaches Act or an environmental interference but reflects the right of property owners to use their holdings as they deem appropriate. The Texas Supreme Court has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment.<ref name=amendment/>

In 2009, Christian obtained passage of a controversial amendment sponsored by a legislative ally, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, a Republican from Mauriceville in Orange County in far southeastern Texas, that allows Christian and a handful of neighbors on the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston, Texas, to rebuild beachfront houses destroyed by [[Hurricane Ike]]. While the measure was strongly opposed by Commissioner of the General Land Office [[Jerry E. Patterson]], who said he would not enforce it if passed, it easily passed through the House with almost no objection. Governor [[Rick Perry]] let the bill, and subsequently the Hamilton amendment, become law without his signature, a prerogative of the governor.<ref name=amendment>{{cite web|url=http://www.statesman.com/search/content/region/legislature/stories/06/05/0605beach.html|title=Danny Yadron, "Post-Hurricane Ike amendment would let legislator rebuild," June 5, 2009|publisher=''Austin American Statesman''|accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Christian denied that the amendment is at odds with the Texas Open Beaches Act or an environmental interference but reflects the right of property owners to use their holdings as they deem appropriate. The Texas Supreme Court has since sided with the private landowners in the area and upheld the protections put in place by Hamilton's amendment.<ref name=amendment/>

==2012 prospects==

==2012 prospects==