Basil Louis Taylor
From Usgovsimulation
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| Democratic Party | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | ||||
| Began Present Office: 2014 | ||||
| State | Texas | |||
| Class | Texas-2 | |||
| Region and Superregion | Texas, Heartlands | |||
| Previous Offices | U.S. Representative | |||
| Born | 24 April 1970 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | |||
| Spouse | Widower | |||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | |||
| Residence | Dallas, Texas | |||
| Occupation | Political Commentator | |||
| Education | Washington University in St. Louis | |||
Basil Louis Taylor (born February 24, 1970), a.k.a. Bacon Taylor, is the Junior United States Senator for the region of Texas. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives before defeating Republican incumbent H.E. Nielson in the 2014 Texas Senate II election. Prior to entering politics, Taylor worked at the Dallas Morning News and hosted a political television program.
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Before Politics
Basil 'Bacon' Louis Taylor was born in Oklahoma City, but due to his mother's persistently poor health, he was largely raised by his grandparents in Texas. He would attend Washington University in St. Louis, receiving a degree in English. He desired to become a novelist, but necessity drove him to journalism and the Dallas Morning News. A political enthusiast in his personal life, Taylor became a major regional voice for the moderate Democrat. He would later host the popular BLT Sandwich Hour television program. Dissatisfied with the politicians in charge, Taylor won support in the Texas Democratic Party and claimed a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014.
United States House of Representatives
Taylor joined the House Democratic Minority and immediately became an active participant on the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committee, soon rising to the post of Ranking Member. He authored two bills during his brief career in the House: the GUarantee America's Regional Defense (GUARD) Act and the Fast Agricultural Recovery Measures (FARM) Act. He was soon asked to run for the U.S. Senate.
Senatorial Career
2014 Election - Texas Senate, Class II
| Election Result for Texas 5th District, U.S. House, 2014 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Status | % | |||
| Republican | H.E. Nielson | Incumbent | 49.36% | |||
| Democratic | Basil L. Taylor | Challenger | 50.64% | |||
Taylor overcome charges of liberal extremism to win the race, conquering the state's strong Republican leanings by winning 64% of independent voters. Nielson had been a relatively inactive Senator, and Taylor was able to drive this point home. This landmark election resulted in both of Texas' senators being members of the Democratic Party. Senior Texas Senator Edward Wyatt was an important contributor to Taylor's campaign. His victory also helped give the Democratic Party a filibuster-proof majority.
114th Congressional Session
Taylor was made Deputy Whip and assigned to the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, and Defence. He participated in hearings related to the controversial rescue of American teenagers Mary Anne Gunther and Christine Wetterling, and one such debate became so heated that Republican Senator (and future Presidential hopeful) Ken MacLeod challenged Taylor to a duel. Taylor actively participated in several of the most high-profile events of the session. He protested the Lane Filibuster of the Employee Free Choice Act (possible due to some unavoidable Democratic absences), co-authored and helped pass the American Family Economic Empowerment Act, and saw his FARM Act pass Congress by unanimous consent.
2016 Election Involvement
Although he was not up for reelection, Taylor still took an interest in the 2016 election. He was one of the first to support eventual Democratic Nominee Jackson Rockefeller, and he spoke about Rockefeller's dedication to border security at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.
Personal Life
Taylor married Houston novelist Jessica Dryer (Two-Timing Fred Sanders and the Extremely Dramatic Showdown) in 1997. Dryer died as a result of an allergic reaction to peanuts in 2002.
Political Succession
| Preceded by H.E. Nielson | Texas Senator (Class II) 2015-Present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
