Kyle Janek

Kyle Janek (born January 10, 1958) is an American physician and former Republican member of the Texas Senate, having represented District 17 from November 2002 until June 2, 2008. The district includes portions of Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Jefferson counties. Janek was not a candidate for renomination to the state Senate in the Republican primary held on March 4.

Janek resigned the seat, and Governor Rick Perry called a special election to coincide with the regular November 4 general election to fill the two years remaining in the term. Republican Joan Huffman, a former felony court judge from Houston and Democrat Chris Bell, a former U.S. representative who was Perry's 2006 election opponent, led the field and went into a December 16 runoff. Huffman ultimately prevailed, 56-44 percent. She becomes the sixth woman serving in the state Senate.

Biography

An anesthesiologist by training, Janek has served in the Texas Legislature as a Republican since 1994. He received an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1983 and has since practiced medicine. Janek is the son of former Galveston County Commissioner Eddie Janek Sr. He is the brother of Galveston politician Eddie Janek Jr., who has previously sought county office.

In 1992 Janek entered the Republican primary for Texas State Representative District 134 against two opponents, Mike Shelby and Tim Turner. Janek prevailed against Shelby, later a U.S. Attorney, in the runoff, but he lost the general election to Democrat Sue Schechter, even though the District was almost 60 percent Republican. In 1994, when Schechter chose not to seek re-election, Janek was elected. He served in the Texas House of Representatives until 2002, when he ran for the Texas Senate. Janek sought the seat being vacated by longtime District 17 Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown. Janek defeated attorney Gary M. Polland in the Republican primary, and then prevailed against Democratic candidate Ronnie Ellen Harrison in the general election. He was reelected again in 2006 over a Libertarian Party opponent.

Since being elected to the Senate, Janek has focused his legislative efforts on property tax reform, and the sponsorship of a state program to prevent steroid abuse among high school athletes.

On September 1, 2012, Janek began serving as the Executive Commissioner to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

2008 election

Janek resigned his Senate seat in June 2008. Joan Huffman won the subsequent special election to replace Janek.

Election history

Most recent election

2006

Texas general election, 2006: Senate District 17

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kyle Janek	88,483	77.82
		Phil Kurtz	25,212	22.81
Majority			63,271	55.65%
Turnout			113,695
	hold

Previous elections

2002

Texas general election, 2002: Senate District 17

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kyle Janek	88,393	61.43
		Ronnie Ellen Harrison	55,502	38.57
Majority			32,891	22.86
Turnout			153,132
	hold

Special election, 5 November 2002: Senate District 17 (Unexpired term)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ronnie Ellen Harrison	47,164	32.58
		Kyle Janek	97,588	67.42
Majority			50,424	34.83
Turnout			144,752
	hold

Republican primary, 2002: Senate District 7

Candidate		Votes	%	±
	Gary M. Polland	8,444	34.19
✓	Kyle Janek	16,250	65.81
Turnout		24,694

2000

House District 134

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kyle Janek	20,764	58.89
		Michael Skadden	14,494	41.11
Majority			6,270	17.78
Turnout			35,258
	hold

1998

House District 134

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kyle Janek	13,527	60.30
		Mike Laster	8,906	39.70
Majority			4,621	20.60
Turnout			22,433
	hold

1996

House District 134

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kyle Janek	22,048	100.00
Majority			22,048	100.00
Turnout			22,048
	hold

1994

Texas general election, 1994: House District 134

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Bruce Reeves	7,070	30.58
		Kyle Janek	15,536	67.21
		Paul Elliott	509	2.20
Majority			8,466	36.63
Turnout			23,115
	gain from

Republican primary, 1994: Texas House of Representatives, District 134|House District 134

Candidate		Votes	%	±
	Kathleen Ballafant	1,352	24.44
✓	Kyle Janek	4,180	75.56
Turnout		5,532

1992

Texas general election, 1992: House District 134

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Sue Schechter	17,317	50.15
		Kyle Janek	16,439	47.61
		Clint Ponton	774	2.24
Majority			878	2.54
Turnout			34,530
	hold

Republican primary runoff, 1992: House District 134

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Kyle Janek	1,756	51.18
	Mike Shelby	1,675	48.82
Turnout		3,431

Republican primary, 1992: House District 134

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Kyle Janek	2,242	34.78
✓	Mike Shelby	2,172	33.70
	Tim Turner	2,032	31.52
Turnout		6,446

External links

• Senate of Texas - Senator Kyle Janek official TX Senate website
• Project Vote Smart - Senator Kyle Janek (TX) profile
• Follow the Money - Kyle Janek
  • 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 campaign contributions

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