Bill Keffer

William Ralph Keffer (born September 15, 1958) is an attorney in Dallas, Texas, who was from 2003 to 2007 a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 107. His older brother, Jim Keffer, is a still-serving Republican House member from District 60 in Eastland, near Abilene, Texas.

Background Keffer was born in McCamey in energy-rich Upton County in West Texas. subsequently Miller Keffer Pedigo. Keffer's legal practice focuses on environmental and toxic tort cases stemming from the exploration, production, refining, and transportation of petroleum.

Keffer is a board member of the Dallas chapter of the Federalist Society, a group of lawyers advocating strict construction of the Constitution of the United States He has been chairman of his neighborhood crime watch and president of his homeowner association. He has penned editorials for such publications as the Dallas Morning News, the Lone Star Report and the Lake Highlands Advocate magazine, named for the Lake Highlands section of north Dallas. 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.