mer ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁in ▁Texas . ▁He ▁took ▁and ▁passed ▁the ▁State ▁Bar ▁Ex am ▁without ▁att ending ▁law ▁school ▁under ▁an ▁old ▁state ▁law ▁perm itting ▁the ▁substitution ▁of ▁years ▁of ▁legisl ative ▁service ▁for ▁law ▁school ▁hours . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Par mer ▁was ▁the ▁man aging ▁share holder ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁firm ▁Par mer , ▁Arch er , ▁Young ▁and ▁Ste en . ▁▁ ▁Par mer ▁ran ▁un success fully ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁as ▁a ▁fresh man ▁state ▁sen ator , ▁he ▁lost ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ination ▁in ▁District ▁ 6 ▁to ▁former ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁Dan ▁Kub iak ▁of ▁Rock dale . ▁Kub iak ▁was ▁then ▁defeated ▁by ▁Republican ▁Joe ▁Bart on , ▁who ▁has ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁since ▁that ▁time . ▁Bart on ▁succeeded ▁the ▁Dem ocrat - turn ed - Rep ublic an ▁Phil ▁Gr amm , ▁who ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁that ▁year ▁over ▁fellow ▁Republic ans ▁Ron ▁Paul ▁and ▁Henry ▁C . ▁Gro ver ▁and ▁the ▁Democratic ▁State ▁Senator ▁Lloyd ▁Dog get t ▁of ▁Austin . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁as ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁in ▁District ▁ 1 2 , ▁Par mer ▁pol led ▁ 4 1 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁against ▁the ▁Republican ▁Kay ▁Gr anger , ▁also ▁a ▁former ▁mayor ▁of ▁Fort ▁W orth .