Lanham Lyne
Fritz Lanham Lyne Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 20, 1955 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Known for | Mayor of Wichita Falls (2005–2010), Texas House of Representatives District 69 (2011–2013) |
Fritz Lanham Lyne Jr. (born June 20, 1955) is a Texas-based entrepreneur from Wichita Falls who represented District 69—which includes Wichita and Archer counties—as a Republican in the Texas House of Representatives from 2011 until 2013. Prior to his legislative service, he held the office of mayor of Wichita Falls from 2005 through 2010, having been elected through a nonpartisan process.
Background
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Lyne completed his secondary education at Skyline High School in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood in 1972. He later obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Midwestern State University located in Wichita Falls in 1985.
Professionally, Lyne advanced within the oil sector, serving as vice-president of Lyne Energy Partners between 1984 and 1988 before ascending to the role of company president. His community involvement includes participation with organizations such as United Way and the YMCA. From 1995 to 1999, he volunteered as the head basketball coach and part-time history instructor at Notre Dame Catholic School in Wichita Falls. Additionally, Lyne has taken on leadership positions within local church communities and has been engaged in Sunday school teaching since his high school years.
Political life
Lyne secured the mayoralty of Wichita Falls in a special election held in 2005, prevailing over eight contenders with a majority vote. He was subsequently reelected in 2006, garnering more than 90% approval, and ran without opposition in the 2008 election. In the 2010 Republican primary for state representative, he defeated Joseph Anthony "Joe" Clement by a margin of 60% to 40%. In the general election that November, Lyne prevailed against Democrat Michael L. Smith with a vote split of approximately 74% to 26%.
During his tenure in the legislature, Lyne was assigned to the Ways and Means Committee as well as the Environmental Regulation Committee. In 2011, conservative rating organizations provided mixed evaluations: Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum rated him at 36%, while the Young Conservatives of Texas awarded him a score of 63%. The Texas Association of Business gave him an 85% rating, whereas the Sierra Club assigned him a score of 42%.
Lyne supported legislation imposing taxes on internet sales by businesses maintaining a physical presence within Texas; although this measure passed the House, it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Rick Perry. He voted in favor of reducing appropriations for state agencies and opposed bills aimed at prohibiting texting while driving and banning corporal punishment in schools without parental approval—both pieces of legislation were also vetoed by Perry. Furthermore, he voted against prohibiting smoking in most public venues but endorsed requirements for public universities to allocate funds to student centers that promote family and traditional values.
On social issues, Lyne advocated for limiting state financial support for abortion providers and backed a 2011 statute mandating ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. He also supported legislation permitting counties to factor in spouses' and sponsors' incomes when determining eligibility for indigent health care under the Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act.
After serving approximately eight months in office, Lyne announced he would not pursue reelection, citing a desire to concentrate on his business interests and expressing dissatisfaction with legislative dynamics. He criticized partisan stalemates and described lawmakers’ conduct as "petty," which he believed obstructed effective dialogue.
Lyne is married to Sharla, and together they have six children.