district. Skeen was only the third person in U.S. history to be elected to Congress as a write-in candidate. As a congressman, Skeen had a largely conservative voting record but also brought numerous projects to his district. In contrast to most congressmen, Skeen faced several competitive races for reelection. After skating to reelection from 1982 to 1990 – including two completely unopposed bids in 1988 and 1990 – he faced aggressive Democratic challenges for most of the 1990s. He announced in 1997 that he had Parkinson's disease. Skeen announced his retirement from Congress in 2002 and left at the end of his 11th term in 2003. At the time of his death in 2003, he was highly regarded by New Mexicans in both parties for his service to his state. On October 10, 2002, Skeen voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq. In the 2002 Republican primary to choose a nominee to succeed Skeen, the party turned to Steve Pearce, who defeated Edward R. Tinsley, an attorney and businessman who owns the K-Bob's Steakhouse restaurant chain. Tinsley tried again in 2008, when Pearce vacated the seat for an unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidacy, but he was defeated in the general election by the Democratic nominee, Harry Teague of Hobbs. References External links 1927 births 2003 deaths Republican Party New Mexico state senators United States Navy sailors Deaths from Parkinson's disease Neurological disease deaths in New Mexico Ranchers from New Mexico Texas A&M University alumni People from Roswell, New Mexico Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians