{{short description|American politician from Texas}} {{use mdy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Steve Allison | image = | caption = | state_house = Texas | district = 121st | term_start = January 8, 2019 | term_end = January 14, 2025 | preceded = Joe Straus | succeeded = Marc LaHood | party = Republican | birth_name = Stephen Philip Allison | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|01|04}} | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | birth_place = | occupation = Attorney | spouse = Peggy | children = | parents = | alma_mater = | footnotes = }} '''Stephen Philip Allison''' (born January 4, 1947)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=62367&office=16771|title = Rep. Steve Allison - Texas State Directory Online}}</ref> is an American politician who represented the 121st district in the Texas House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025.
==Personal life== Allison is a graduate of Texas Christian University, he met his wife Peggy while attending the school. He also attended University of Houston Law Center. Allison and his wife Peggy have 2 children, and are both members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where they both have taught Sunday school. He is an attorney.<ref name = a>{{cite web |title=Texas House of Representatives |url=https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=121 |website=www.house.texas.gov |accessdate=28 December 2019}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Early political career=== Allison has served on the Alamo Heights Independent School District Early Childhood Task Force, and on the VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority Board of Trustees for 8 years and the last 2 as Vice Chairman.<ref name=a/>
Allison was elected to represent District 121 in the Texas House of Representatives on November 6, 2018 and was sworn in on January 8, 2019.<ref name=ballot>{{cite web |title=Steve Allison |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_Allison |website=Ballotpedia |accessdate=28 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rep. Steve Allison - Texas State Directory Online|url=https://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=62367&office=16771 |website=www.txdirectory.com |accessdate=28 December 2019}}</ref> Alison ran with the endorsement of the outgoing state representative for the seat, retiring House Speaker Joe Straus.<ref>Patrick Svitek, [https://www.texastribune.org/2018/04/19/straus-endorses-candidate-replace-him-house-district-121/ Straus endorses candidate to replace him in House District 121], ''Texas Tribune'' (April 19, 2018).</ref>
===Voucher vote and 2024 primary defeat=== In November 2023, Allison voted against Republican Governor Greg Abbott's proposal for state-funded vouchers for private schools. Allison was one of 21 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to remove Abbott's voucher plan from the education funding bill; the amendment to drop the voucher proposal passed 83–64.<ref>Zach Despart & Brian Lopez, [https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/16/texas-house-school-vouchers/ Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill], ''Texas Tribune'' (November 16, 2023).</ref> After his vote, Allison reported being harassed at his home by pro-school choice activists.<ref name=MountingPrimaryChallenges>{{Cite web |last=Svitek |first=Patrick |date=2024-01-31 |title=Texas Republicans who defied Gov. Greg Abbott on school vouchers face mounting primary attacks |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/31/texas-house-republican-primary-2024-vouchers/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
Allion's vote against Abbott's voucher proposal also prompted primary challengers.<ref name=MountingPrimaryChallenges/> Primary challenger criminal defense attorney Marc LaHood ran with endorsements from Abbott and other Texas Republicans.<ref name=Drusch>{{Cite web |last=Drusch |first=Andrea |date=2024-03-06 |title=GOP state Rep. Steve Allison ousted by Marc LaHood |url=http://sanantonioreport.org/bexar-county-texas-house-district-121-allison-primary-election-results-2024-2/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=San Antonio Report |language=en-US}}</ref> Allison was also the target of coordinated efforts by several PACs backed by Pennsylvania businessman Jeff Yass to defeat Republicans who opposed the voucher plan.<ref name=MountingPrimaryChallenges/>
Although Allison had a conservative voting record on nearly every issue, LaHood ran to his right, and his primary challenge was boosted by support from Abbott (who spent $672,000 on LaHood's behalf in the final months of the primary campaign).<ref name=Drusch/> Texas's Republican Agriculture Commissioner, Sid Miller, ran a pro-LaHood ad in which he posed with a rifle and declared that Allison was the target of his "Rino hunt."<ref>[https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/sid-miller-ad-steve-allison-18692044.php Editorial: Sid Miller gun ad 'hunting' Steve Allison is despicable], ''San Antonio Express-News'' (February 28, 2024).</ref> Allison, meanwhile, was supported by House Speaker Dade Phelan,<ref name=Drusch/> and ran with the endorsement of the ''San Antonio Express-News''.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Editorial: Steve Allison the best choice in GOP primary for District 121|url=https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/steve-allison-gop-primary-18668691.php |access-date=2024-02-23 |work=San Antonio Express-News |language=en}}</ref>
In the March 2024 primary, Allison was defeated for renomination: LaHood won with some 54% of the vote; Allison received 34%, and a third candidate, Michael Champion, received 7%.<ref name=Drusch/> The ''Express-News'' editorial board described Allison's loss as an intensification of the removal of "traditional, pragmatic conservative Republicans" by the state party.<ref>[https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/dade-phelan-greg-abbott-18707497.php Editorial: Super Tuesday was less than super for anti-voucher Texas Republicans], ''San Antonio Express-News'' (March 6, 2024).</ref>
===Elections=== ====2018==== {{Election box begin no change | title=Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 121, 2018<ref name=ballot/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = Steve Allison |votes = 6,054 |percentage = 57.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = Matt Beebe |votes = 4,482 |percentage = 42.5% }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title=General election for Texas House of Representatives District 121, 2018<ref name=ballot/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = Steve Allison |votes = 38,843 |percentage = 53.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Celina Montoya |votes = 32,679 |percentage = 44.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Libertarian Party (US) |candidate = Mallory Olfers |votes = 1,529 |percentage = 2.1 }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Allison, Steve}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Texas Christian University alumni Category:University of Houston Law Center alumni Category:1947 births Category:21st-century members of the Texas Legislature