Ralph Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Hall
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ray Roberts |
| Succeeded by | John Ratcliffe |
| Chair of the House Science Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Bart Gordon |
| Succeeded by | Lamar Smith |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 9th district |
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| In office January 8, 1963 – January 9, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Ray Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Ron Clower |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ralph Moody Hall
May 3, 1923 Fate, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 2019 (aged 95) Rockwall, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (before 2004) Republican (after 2004) |
| Spouse |
Mary Ellen Murphy
(m. 1944; died 2008) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Texas Christian University University of Texas, Austin Southern Methodist University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Ralph Moody Hall (May 3, 1923 – March 7, 2019) was an American politician. He served as a United States representative for Texas from 1981 to 2015. He was first elected in 1980.
Hall was also the chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology from 2011 to 2013. In 2004, he changed from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. He had been a Democrat for over 50 years.
At 91, Ralph Hall was the oldest person to serve in the House of Representatives. He was also the last member of Congress from the generation that fought in World War II.
Contents
Growing Up and Education
Ralph Hall was born in Fate, Texas. He lived most of his life in Rockwall County, Texas, near Dallas. He finished Rockwall High School in 1941.
On December 10, 1942, Hall joined the U.S. Navy. He was an aircraft carrier pilot during World War II. He served from 1942 to 1945 and became a lieutenant.
College and Law Career
After the war, Hall went to college. He studied at Texas Christian University and the University of Texas. In 1951, he earned a law degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He then worked as a lawyer in Rockwall for many years.
Early Steps in Politics
Ralph Hall started his political career in his home county.
County Judge Role
In November 1950, Hall was elected as the county judge of Rockwall County, Texas. He held this job for 12 years, until 1962.
Serving in the Texas State Senate
In 1962, Hall was elected to the Texas State Senate. This is a part of the state government. As a state senator, he led several important committees. These committees worked on topics like consumer protection and transportation.
Working in Business
Between his state and national political roles, Hall worked in business.
He was the president and CEO of Texas Aluminum Corp. He also helped lead other companies. These included Lakeside National Bank of Rockwall.
Serving in the U.S. Congress
Ralph Hall became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1981. He served for many years.
First Election to Congress
In 1980, the current U.S. congressman for Texas's 4th district decided to retire. Ralph Hall won the election to take his place. He won with 52% of the votes. This was a close race. He was the fourth person to represent this district since it was created in 1903.
Changing Political Parties
For over 50 years, Ralph Hall was a Democrat. He was known as a very conservative Democrat. In 2004, he decided to change parties and become a Republican.
He said he switched parties to better support his district. He also wanted to support President George W. Bush during a time of war. After he switched, he was allowed to keep his seniority in Congress.
Views on Climate Change
Ralph Hall had strong views on climate change. In 2011, he said he did not believe that human actions were causing climate change. He thought some scientists might be making up evidence to get money for research. He believed we should be careful about spending money on things that are not fully proven.
Last Election and Retirement
In May 2013, Hall announced he would run for an 18th term in the U.S. House. In December 2013, he said this would be his last campaign.
In the March 2014 Republican primary election, Hall did not get enough votes to win outright. He had to go into a second election, called a runoff. In the runoff election, he lost to John Ratcliffe. This meant Ralph Hall would not serve another term. He left office on January 3, 2015.
Committees and Groups
During his time in Congress, Ralph Hall was part of several important groups. He was the chairman Emeritus of the Committee on Science and Technology. He was also on the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
He was also a member of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative Republicans. He also joined the Tea Party Caucus.
Personal Life
Ralph Hall married Mary Ellen Murphy on November 14, 1944. They had three sons: Hampton, Brett, and Blakeley. They also had five grandchildren. Mary Ellen passed away in 2008.
When he switched political parties in 2004, his wife did not agree with his decision. She would have preferred he quit politics instead of changing parties.
Ralph Hall passed away on March 7, 2019, in Rockwall, Texas. He was 95 years old.
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