Paul Sadler

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Paul Sadler |image = File:Paul Sadler.JPG |image_size = 166px |state_house = Texas |district = 8th |term_start = January 3, 1993 |term_end = January 3, 2003 |predecessor = Sam Russell |successor = Byron Cook |state_house1 = Texas |district1 = 9th |term_start1 = January 3, 1991 |term_end1 = January 3, 1993 |predecessor1 = Jim McWilliams |successor1 = Jerry Johnson |birth_name = Paul Lindsey Sadler |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|29}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/campaign-2012/TX/ |title=Texas 2012 Election Center - Candidates, News, Bios - Washington Times |website=The Washington Times |accessdate=August 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928152008/http://www.washingtontimes.com/campaign-2012/TX/ |archivedate=September 28, 2012 }}</ref> |birth_place = Freer, Texas, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Crystal Straube {{small|(2015–present)}} |children = 5 |education = Baylor University {{small|(BA, JD)}} }} '''Paul Lindsey Sadler''' (born April 29, 1955) is an American attorney from Henderson, Texas, now residing in Bandera, Texas who served from 1991 to 2003 in the Texas House of Representatives. He was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in 2012. In the November 6 general election, he lost against the Republican Ted Cruz, who still holds the position.

==Early life, education, and law career== Sadler was born in Freer east of Laredo in South Texas, to Harold Sidney and Bessie Mae "Pete" Sadler. His father worked for Sun Oil Company and moved his family throughout Texas, California, and Louisiana.

In 1977, Sadler graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In 1979, he graduated from Baylor Law School. He is an active member of the Texas Bar. He has been admitted to practice in many federal courts, such as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.mysanantonio.com/texas-on-the-potomac/2011/12/paul-sadler-to-the-rescue-%E2%80%94-and-the-dems-have-a-senate-candidate-again/ |title=Paul Sadler to the rescue — and the Dems have a Senate candidate again | Texas on the Potomac | a mySA.com blog |publisher=Blog.mysanantonio.com |date=December 19, 2011 |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

==Texas House of Representatives (1991-2003)==

===Elections=== Sadler was first elected in 1990 to represent Texas' 9th House District. After redistricting, he ran in the newly redrawn Texas' 8th House District and won re-election in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=30458 |title=Candidate - Paul Sadler |publisher=Our Campaigns |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> He was unopposed in all but two years: 1996 (when he won with 61 percent)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=240755 |title=TX State House 008 Race - Nov 05, 1996 |publisher=Our Campaigns |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> and 1998 (62 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=223843 |title=TX State House 008 Race - Nov 03, 1998 |publisher=Our Campaigns |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

===Tenure=== In 1995, Sadler co-sponsored (with Republican state senator Bill Ratliff) the Ratliff–Sadler Act.<ref>Batheja, Aman (September 16, 2012). [http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-congressional-election/sadler-working-remind-voters-former-influence/ "Sadler Working to Remind Voters of Former Influence"]. ''The Texas Tribune''. Retrieved October 30, 2012.</ref> This act became the Texas Education Code and gave some of the Texas Education Agency's former powers to locally-controlled school districts.<ref>[http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/education/recent-changes-public-schools "Recent Changes in Public Schools"]. ''Texas Almanac''. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved October 30, 2012.</ref>

He was named to the Ten Best List of Texas state legislators by ''Texas Monthly'' in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001. He was named one of three "Outstanding Legislators" in 1995 and one of "Six Stellar" legislators in 1997 by the ''Dallas Morning News''. He also earned the John B. Connally "Award for Excellence in Education" by the Just For The Kids Foundation.

===Committee assignments=== *Public Education Committee (Chairman)<ref>{{cite web|last=Ramsey |first=Ross |url=http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-elections/paul-sadler-democrat-files-us-senate/ |title=Paul Sadler, a Democrat, Files for U.S. Senate — 2012 Elections |publisher=The Texas Tribune |date= December 19, 2011|accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> *Judiciary Committee *Pensions and Investments Committee *Health and Human Services Committee *State Revenue and Public School Finance Select Committee (Chairman) *Public School Employee Health Insurance Select Committee (Chairman)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sadlerforsenate.com/meet-paul/ |title=Meet Paul | Paul Sadler for U.S. Senate |publisher=Sadlerforsenate.com |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

==2004 special election== Incumbent State Senator Bill Ratliff of Texas' 1st Senate District decided to resign his seat in the middle of 2003. Ratliff's resignation created a special election in January 2004, in which Sadler finished first with 39 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=50900 |title=TX State Senate 01 - Special Primary Race - Jan 20, 2004 |publisher=Our Campaigns |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> In the runoff election, the Republican Kevin Eltife, a former Mayor of Tyler, defeated Sadler, 52-48 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=54666 |title=TX State Senate 01 - Special Runoff Race - Feb 17, 2004 |publisher=Our Campaigns |date= |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

==Return to private sector== Sadler returned to practicing law in 2003 and specializes in product liability, major personal injury litigation and Prompt Pay representing Hospitals and doctors against insurance companies. He has litigated for a multi-billion dollar company in all fifty states.

In 2008, he became the executive director for the Wind Coalition, a regional trade group of wind power producers that advocates for increased wind resources in Texas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.windcoalition.org/news/former-representative-paul-sadler-to-head-the-wind-coalition |title=Former Representative Paul Sadler to Head |publisher=The Wind Coalition |date=March 19, 2009 |accessdate=August 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708051818/http://www.windcoalition.org/news/former-representative-paul-sadler-to-head-the-wind-coalition |archivedate=July 8, 2012 }}</ref>

Sadler has also served on the Governor's Advisory Energy Panel for Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/12/paul-sadler-to-the-rescue-and-the-dems-have-a-senate-candidate-again/ |title=Paul Sadler to the rescue — and the Dems have a Senate candidate again | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog |publisher=Blog.chron.com |date=December 19, 2011 |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

==2012 U.S. Senate election== {{Main|2012 United States Senate election in Texas}} Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison decided to retire effective January 2013. After Democrat Ricardo Sanchez dropped out of contention, Sadler announced his candidacy for the seat, which was held from 1971 to 1993 by the Democrat Lloyd M. Bentsen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Scharrer |first=Gary |url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Former-rep-files-for-Senate-filling-Dem-void-2412813.php |title=Former rep files for Senate, filling Dem void left by Sanchez - Houston Chronicle |publisher=Chron.com |date=December 19, 2011 |accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>

On July 31, 2012, Sadler won a runoff election for his party's Senate nomination 63% to 37%. He defeated Grady Yarbrough, a retired educator from San Antonio.<ref>{{cite news|last=Eckholm|first=Erik|title=Tea Party Favorite Wins Texas Runoff|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/us/politics/cruz-defeats-dewhurst-for-gop-nomination-in-texas-senate-race.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 31, 2012}}</ref>

Sadler was defeated by Republican candidate Ted Cruz, who received 4,456,599 ballots or 56.6% of the votes cast.<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas Election Results 2012: Cruz wins Senate seat|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/texas-election-results-2012-cruz-wins-senate-seat-gallego-beats-freshman-rep-canseco-in-house-race/2012/11/07/7a05ef0a-23ac-11e2-ac85-e669876c6a24_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224041702/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-11-07/politics/35504240_1_senate-seat-election-night-house-races|url-status=live|archive-date=February 24, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> Sadler received 3,183,314 ballots or 40.5% of the votes cast.

==Personal life== Sadler lives in San Antonio, Texas. He has five children and three step-children.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sadlerforsenate.com/bio/ |title=Bio | Paul Sadler for U.S. Senate |accessdate=October 30, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101145654/http://www.sadlerforsenate.com/bio/ |archivedate=November 1, 2012 }}</ref>

He was named one of three "Outstanding Legislators" by the ''Dallas Morning News'' (1995)<ref name="Bio">[http://www.sadlerforsenate.com/bio], Paul Salder's Bio.</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} ;Additional sources *[http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/12/paul-sadler-to-the-rescue-and-the-dems-have-a-senate-candidate-again/ Houston Chronicle] *[http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-elections/paul-sadler-democrat-files-us-senate/ Texas Tribune]

==External links== *[http://sadlerandsadler.com Official website] *[http://sadlerforsenate.com/ Paul Sadler for U.S. Senate] campaign website * {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=5576 | fec=S2TX00429 | congress= }} *[http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/category/paul-sadler/ Collected news and commentary] at ''The Houston Chronicle'' *[http://www.texastribune.org/directory/paul-sadler/ Collected news and commentary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711051130/http://www.texastribune.org/directory/paul-sadler/ |date=July 11, 2012 }} at ''The Texas Tribune''

{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Barbara Ann Radnofsky}} {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Texas}}<br>(Class 1)|years=2012}} {{s-aft|after=Beto O'Rourke}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadler, Paul}} Category:1955 births Category:Baylor Law School alumni Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Category:People from Freer, Texas Category:Politicians from San Antonio Category:Ted Cruz Category:Texas lawyers Category:Candidates in the 2012 United States elections Category:20th-century members of the Texas Legislature Category:21st-century members of the Texas Legislature