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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1996/US House/Texas/TX-21
      1996·US House·Texas·District profile →

      Texas District 21 US House

      Winner
      REP
      Lamar S Smith
      76.4%205,830 votes
      Runner-up
      DEM
      Gordon H Wharton
      22.4%60,338 votes
      Margin
      R+54.0
      269,307 total votes
      3 candidates269,307 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      Lamar S SmithREP✓
      		REP205,83076.4%
      Gordon H WhartonDEM
      		DEM60,33822.4%
      Randy RutenbeckOTH
      		OTH3,1391.2%

      Presidential Vote by District

      5 elections · 2008–2024 · 118th Congress boundaries
      Latest (2024)R+23.6
      Shift vs 2020↓ R+3.9
      R+20EvenD+2020082012201620202024
      YearDem %Rep %MarginTurnout
      202437.6%61.1%R+23.6435,492
      202039.4%59.1%R+19.7416,581
      201633.3%61.1%R+27.8323,744
      201231.1%68.9%R+37.8281,684
      200834.6%64.9%R+30.3282,833

      Seat History

      US House in Texas

      2024
      Chip RoyREP
      R+25.8
      2022
      Chip RoyREP
      R+25.7
      Redistricted
      2020
      Chip RoyREP
      R+6.6
      2018
      Chip RoyREP
      R+2.6
      2016
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+20.6
      2014
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+71.8
      2012
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+25.1
      Redistricted
      2010
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+41.0
      2008
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+80.0
      2006(S)
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+26.6
      2004
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+26.0
      2002
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+47.6
      Redistricted
      2000
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+53.7
      1998
      Lamar S SmithREP
      R+91.4
      View all US House history for Texas →

      Candidates

      Lamar S SmithREP
      Record16W-0L
      Avg Margin---
      Career1986-2016
      US House
      Full profile →
      Gordon H WhartonDEM
      Record0W-2L
      Avg MarginD+36.2
      Career1978-1996
      US House / State House
      Full profile →
      Randy RutenbeckOTH
      Record0W-1L
      Avg Margin---
      Career1996-1996
      US House
      Full profile →

      Also in Texas, 1996

      President1 contest →US Senate1 contest →
      ← All 1996 US House races1996 overviewTexas profileAll elections