Joseph P. Heflin

Who is Joseph P. Heflin?

Joseph Paul Heflin, known as Joe Heflin, is a departing Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 85 in the South Plains. He is the last Democrat to have represented his portion of Texas in the legislature, as the region has swung strongly toward the Republican Party.

In 2006, Heflin narrowly defeated Republican businessman Jim Landtroop of Plainview in Hale County to succeed the retiring Democrat and former Speaker James E. "Pete" Laney of Hale Center, also in Hale County. In the November 2, 2010, general election, however, Landtroop staged a stunning comeback, having polled 17,426 votes to Heflin's 10,853. The Republican nominee won fifteen of the sixteen counties in the district, losing only in Heflin's own Crosby County, where the Democrat prevailed 791-388. Landtroop succeeds Heflin in January 2011.

During the 81st Legislative session, Heflin served as member of the House Agriculture & Livestock and Elections committees. He served on the County Affairs committee during the 80th session. At the time of his defeat, he was serving on the Energy, Environment and Agriculture committees of the National Conference of State Legislatures.