O.H. "Ike" Harris
| O. H. "Ike" Harris | |
|---|---|
| Texas State Senator from District 8 (Dallas County) | |
|
In office 1967–1995 |
|
| Preceded by | George M. Parkhouse |
| Succeeded by | Florence Shapiro |
| Texas Senate President Pro Tempore | |
|
In office 1973–1973 |
|
| Preceded by | Oscar Mauzy |
| Succeeded by | Max Sherman |
| Texas State Representative from Dallas County | |
|
In office 1963–1965 |
|
| Preceded by | Bill Jones |
| Succeeded by | John Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 5, 1932 |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Austin, Travis County, Texas |
| Alma mater | Southern Methodist University Law School |
| Occupation |
Lawyer Lobbyist |
| On more than one occasion, Harris was voted among the "Worst Members of the Legislature" by Texas Monthly magazine during his state senate tenure from 1967 to 1995. The magazine in 1975 referred to him as "a sad case of unapplied talent." | |
O. H. "Ike" Harris (born June 5, 1932) is an attorney and lobbyist in Austin, Texas, who served from 1963 to 1965 and 1967 to 1995 as a Republican member from Dallas County in both houses of the Texas State Legislature. He was elected to his single term as a state representative in 1962. His Senate tenure in District 8 ran from 1967 to 1995. In his final 1993–1995 biennial term, Harris was the dean, or senior member in tenure, among all of the state senators.
Harris is particularly remembered for having authored legislation that permits parimutuel betting at horse race tracks in Texas. On October 10, 2009, the racing industry honored him with its JoAnn Weber Distinguished Service Award during induction ceremonies of the Texas Racing Hall of Fame held at Retama Park in Selma near San Antonio, Texas. He also worked to implement interstate banking, insurance reform, and the expansion of the University of Texas at Dallas to a four-year institution. In 1973, he was Senate President Pro Tempore in the 63rd Legislative Session.
In 1954, Harris received his Bachelor of Science degree in political science from University of North Texas in Denton. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Air Force, where he was an instructor pilot until his honorable discharge with the rank of captain in 1957. He then entered Southern Methodist University School of Law, since known as the Dedman School of Law, where he served as president of the law school and the student body. Harris assumed the nickname "Ike" from an older brother while he was seeking the SMU student body presidency. This may have been in acknowledgement of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a native-born Texan also referred to by the appellation. Harris was affiliated with Cycen Fjodr, a men's honorary society; Barristers, a legal honorary society, and he was listed among Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities.
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