▁University ▁of ▁Miami ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁later ▁a ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Texas ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Texas ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁sen ator , ▁he ▁worked ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁Texas ▁Enter prise ▁Zone ▁Act , ▁which ▁is ▁designed ▁to ▁create ▁new ▁jobs ▁in ▁econom ically ▁impact ed ▁areas , ▁and ▁the ▁Prote ct ive ▁Services ▁for ▁the ▁E lder ly ▁Act , ▁which ▁gu ards ▁against ▁ab use ▁of ▁senior ▁citizens . ▁He ▁also ▁worked ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Texas – Pan ▁American . ▁ ▁Uri be , ▁a ▁narrow ▁winner ▁in ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁for ▁land ▁commission er , ▁faced ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Republican ▁Jerry ▁E . ▁P atter son ▁in ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁general ▁election ▁but ▁lost ▁with ▁ 3 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁ball ots ▁cast . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 4 6 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : Tex as ▁Democr ats ▁Category : Tex as ▁state ▁sen ators ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Brow ns ville , ▁Texas ▁Category : Univers ity ▁of ▁Miami ▁School ▁of ▁Law ▁al umn i ▁Category : Tex as