In Keffer's first election to the Texas House in 2002, he defeated the
Democrat Theresa Daniel, 20,764 (58.4) to 14,786 (41.6 percent). In that same election
John Cornyn was elected to the
United States Senate,
Rick Perry won his first full term as
governor of Texas, and
Greg Abbott was elected
attorney general to succeed John Cornyn. Daniel was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the seat, after the incumbent Democrat, Harryette Ehrhardt, declined to seek reelection. Keffer was unopposed for his second term in 2004 but unseated in 2006 by the Democrat Allen Vaught, 16,254 (50.1 percent) to 15,145 (46.7 percent). The remaining 3.2 percent was cast for the
Libertarian candidate, Chris Jones. While in the House, Keffer served on the House Insurance, Energy Resources, and Rules & Regulations committees. In the May 29 primary, a third candidate, David Boone polled the critical 1,138 votes (11.4 percent), sufficient to force a second round of balloting on July 31 between Keffer, who led in the primary with 4,745 votes (47.5 percent), and another Dallas lawyer, the
Hispanic Republican activist
Jason Villalba, who finished with 4,114 ballots (41.2 percent). Keffer and Villalba clashed over who would be the more
conservative lawmaker. Keffer carried the backing of
U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling of
Texas's 5th congressional district, while Villalba was supported by presidential nominee
Mitt Romney and retiring
U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who called him "the future", Villalba attributed his victor over Keffer to "shoe leather and determination." In the
general election, Villalba defeated Democratic former Representative
Carol Kent, 33,970 votes (54.2 percent to Kent's 28,762 (45.8 percent). Kent had served a term in District 102 from 2009 to 2011, having unseated Republican Representative
Tony Goolsby in the 2008 general election. ==References==