Ed Foreman

Edgar Franklin "Ed" Foreman, Jr. (born December 22, 1933) is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He had one term representing Texas's 16th congressional district from 1963 to 1965 and a second term from 1969 to 1971 representing New Mexico's 2nd district, then newly established.[1] He is the most historically recent member of Congress to have represented more than one state during their career, and the only living person to have done so.

Edgar Franklin "Ed" Foreman, Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 16th district
In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965
Preceded by	J.T. Rutherford
Succeeded by	Richard C. White
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971
Preceded by	At-large: E.S. "Johnny" Walker Thomas G. Morris
Succeeded by	Harold Runnels
Personal details
Born	December 22, 1933 Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico, US
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Barbara Lynn Southard Foreman (married 1955)
Children	Preston Kirk Foreman Rebecca Lynn Foreman
Residence	Odessa, Ector County, Texas Las Cruces, New Mexico Dallas, Texas
Alma mater	Eastern New Mexico University New Mexico State University
Occupation	Civil engineer businessman motivational speaker
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1956–1957

Early years

Foreman was born near Portales in Roosevelt County in southeastern New Mexico, to Edgar Foreman Sr. and the former Lillian Childress.[2]

From 1952 to 1953, he attended Eastern New Mexico College in Portales. He transferred to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, where in 1955 he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. From 1953 to 1956, Foreman was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company. From 1956 to 1957, he served in the United States Navy. He headed Foreman Brine Sales and Service in Odessa, Texas, from 1956 to 1962. He was formerly the president of Valley Transit Mix, Atlas Land Company, and Foreman Oil, Inc.[2]

Political career

Represented West Texas, 1963–1965

In 1962 Foreman was elected to Congress from the 16th District in West Texas,[2] which stretched from El Paso to the Permian Basin. His victory is attributed to the incumbent Democratic Representative J. T. Rutherford having been linked with the Billie Sol Estes scandal. In that same election, the Democrat, later Republican, John B. Connally, Jr., was elected governor over the Republican oilfield equipment executive Jack Cox.

Foreman was defeated when he sought re-election in 1964, a year in which President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texan, was reelected over Republican U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater in a landslide, and the Republicans suffered massive losses throughout the nation.

Represented southern New Mexico, 1969–1971

In 1968 while residing in Las Cruces, Foreman ran for Congress in the southern district of New Mexico[2] and upset the two-term Democrat E. S. "Johnny" Walker of Albuquerque. Richard Nixon won New Mexico's electoral votes that year over Hubert H. Humphrey, and that Republican momentum helped Foreman to get elected. Foreman was unseated after a single term in 1970 by Democrat Harold Runnels.

Appointment to two federal jobs

After losing a House seat for the second time in six years, Foreman in 1971 was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Interior in the Nixon administration, and the following year, 1972, he was appointed to a position at the United States Department of Transportation, where he stayed until 1976.

References

1. Prior to 1968, New Mexico U.S. representatives had been elected at-large statewide.
2. "Edgar Franklin Foreman", Who's Who in America with World Notables, Vol, 56 (1970–1971), (Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1970), p. 747

• Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections, U.S. House edition

External links

• http://www.edforeman.com/

• United States Congress. "Ed Foreman (id: F000272)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.