James C. Wright, Jr. | Texas Representative, Speaker of the House
James C. Wright Jr. encyclopedia encyclopeadia britannica article
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
James C. Wright, Jr. was an American politician and legislator who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1954 and began representing Texas the following year. He became speaker of the House in 1987 but had to resign from office in 1989 because of charges of financial
/favicon.png
Encyclopedia Britannica
James C. Wright, Jr. (born December 22, 1922, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.—died May 6, 2015, Fort Worth) was an American politician and legislator who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1954 and began representing Texas the following year. He became speaker of the House in 1987 but had to resign from office in 1989 because of charges of financial improprieties.

Wright was educated at Weatherford College and the University of Texas before serving in the Army Air Force during World War II. After the war he entered politics as a Democrat and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1946. He was defeated for reelection after serving one term and subsequently served as mayor of Weatherford, Texas, from 1950 to 1954. He then successfully sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1954 and was reelected consecutively 17 times after that. He made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 1961.