|term_end=April 6, 2018 (resignation)
|preceded=Solomon P. Ortiz
|succeeded= [[Michael Cloud]]
|birth_date=December 12, 1961
|birth_place=[[Corpus Christi]], [[Texas]]
''The San Antonio Express-News'' editorially ridiculed Farenthold's congressional service: "Unfortunately, it's hard to shame someone so shameless. This is a man best known for sporting duck pajamas with a scantily clad woman. He also once owned a particularly profane website domain, often traded in despicable conspiracy theories, and even alluded to having a duel with U.S. Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]." The paper called upon Farenthold to pay the $86,000 to which he had agreed.<ref>"Farenthold should repay taxpayers" (editorial), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 21, 2018, p. A12.</ref>
[[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] has called a special election for June 30 to begin the process of choosing choose Farenthold's successor for the term ending on January 3, 2019. Abbott called upon also urged Farenthold to pay personally for the costs of the special election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/04/25/gov-abbott-blake-farenthold-you-pay-cost-special-election-replace-you/551549002/|title=Texas Gov. Abbott to Blake Farenthold: You pay the cost of the special election to replace you|author=John C. Moritz|publisher=''[[USA Today]]''|date=April 25, 2018}}</ref> Meanwhile, in the May 22 runoff contest for the Republican nomination to succeed Farenthold in District 27, small [[business]]man [[Michael Cloud]] with 15,234 votes (61 percent), defeated intra-party rival Bech Bruun of Corpus Christi, a former chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, who trailed with 9,723 votes (39 percent). Bruun had led in the March 6 Republican primary for the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/may22_326_race3.htm|title=Republican Primary Runoff Election Returns for Congressional District 27|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|date=May 22, 2018|accessdate=May 23, 2018}}</ref> Cloud advanced to the November 6 general election in which he will face the Democrat Eric Holguin of Corpus Christi, who handily led Raul "Roy" Barrera, 6,422 votes (61.9 percent) to 3,953 (38.1 percent). The combined Republican vote, 24,957, exceeded the Democratic runoff turnout, 10,375 votes by 14,582 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/may22_327_state.htm?x=0&y=1548&id=489|title=Democratic Primary Runoff Election Returns for Congressional District 27|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=May 23, 2018}}</ref> Running on a "working families" platform, Holguin lost the June 30 special election to Cloud, who is considered the choice of grassroots [[conservative]] activists in District 27. Cloud will hence run in November as the ncumbent. Upon leaving Congress, Farenthold was appointed a [[lobbyist]] at a salary of $160,000 annually for the Calhoun Port Authority in the community of Point Comfort, which was hard hit in 2017 by Hurricane Harvey. Farenthold will assist in "resolving funding issues" in Washington on behalf of the port authority.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/disgraced-ex-texas-congressman-takes-lucrative-lobbying-post/ar-AAxhBUp?ocid=spartanntp&ffid=gz|title=Disgraced ex-Texas congressman takes lucrative lobbying job|publisher=Msn.com|date=May 14, 2018|author=Will Wissert}}</ref> Farenthold said that based on his attorney's advice he will not attempt to repay the $84,000 sexual harassment settlement, presumably because other U.S. House members in the same predicament have not been revealed to the public and will not be paying for their violations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/387797-farenthold-says-he-wont-repay-84k-sexual-harassment-settlement|author=John Bowden|title=Farenthold says he won't repay $84k sexual harassment settlement|publisher=Thehill.com|date=May 15, 2018}}</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Attorneys]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:Radio]]