term in the House in 1990, when he defeated the Republican State Representative Richard A. Waterfield of Canadian in Hemphill County, who resigned from the legislature to make the congressional race. In 1992, Sarpalius halted the bid to return to Congress waged by former Republican U.S. Representative Beau Boulter of Amarillo, who vacated the House seat in 1988, when he waged a failed campaign to oust Democratic U.S. Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen. In 1994, Sarpalius was one of a large number of Democrats unseated in the Republican Revolution. He lost to former Reagan administration official Mac Thornberry, taking only 45 percent of the vote to Thornberry's 55 percent. Thornberry would go on to hold the seat for almost a quarter-century. Since Sarpalius left office, the Democrats have only crossed the 30 percent mark in the district three times. Later career Afterwards, Sarpalius was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton as a top official in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is currently the chief executive officer of Advantage Associates, a powerful Washington consulting firm made up of former elected officials. After the success of his book "The Grand Duke from Boys Ranch" he became a highly sought after motivational public speaker, speaking to crowds as many as 65,000. References External links 1948 births Living people American lobbyists American people of Lithuanian descent Clarendon College (Texas) alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas Politicians from Amarillo, Texas People from Donley County, Texas Politicians from Houston Politicians from Los Angeles Recipients of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Democratic Party Texas state senators Texas Tech University alumni West Texas A&M University alumni Catholics from Texas Catholics from California Educators from Texas Members of Congress who became lobbyists