Editing Tom Schieffer (section)

==Early political career==
While in college, Schieffer worked in the offices of State Senator [[Don Kennard]] and Governor [[John Connally]].

Schieffer ran in the 1972 [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] primary against incumbent Speaker Pro-Tem Tommy Shannon, who was involved in the statewide [[Sharpstown scandal]]. After leading the primary and winning the run-off, Schieffer was nominated by Democrats to run at age 24. He won the general election that fall, winning county wide with more than 60% of the vote while Democratic presidential candidate [[George McGovern]] received just over 30% in the state. Sworn in at age 25, Schieffer was one of the youngest members of the class of 1972.

The first piece of legislation Schieffer passed was a bill renaming the State Finance Building the [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] State Office Building. Johnson, whom Schieffer admired greatly for passing the landmark civil rights bills of 1964, 1965 and 1968, had died in January 1973. During his first session, Schieffer successfully argued for funding the Fort Worth State School - a mental health facility - receiving the editorial kudos of the ''[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]'' for having "earned his spurs" as an effective legislator in Austin.

Re-elected with over 60% of the vote in the 1974 general election (he had no opposition in the Democratic primary), Schieffer was named Chairman of the Local and Consent Calendars Committee in his second term, a position he retained in his third term as well. Schieffer was the lead author on the bill that established the first Presidential primary in Texas. He was also the lead author on the bill that restricted the catch of redfish along the Texas coast, a measure that conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts had sought for years. Schieffer also co-authored legislation that closed a loophole on child care facilities that wanted to operate without meeting state standards.

The first two terms Schieffer was in the legislature, Tarrant County state representatives were elected countywide. After the Legislature passed a single member district plan, he was elected to a third term from a single member district. In January 1978, a federal court overturned the existing single member district plan and redrew the lines. Schieffer, who retained only one precinct out of his old district, carried every precinct in the Democratic primary but narrowly lost his seat to [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Bob Ware in the general election.

Schieffer remained active in Democratic Party politics, supporting candidates like Senator [[Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr.]], [[Governor of Texas|Governor]] [[Mark White (Texas politician)|Mark White]], and Congressman [[Pete Geren]].