Representative Eldon Beau Boulter

Eldon Beau Boulter (born February 23, 1942) is an American politician and attorney who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas from 1985 to 1989. He represented Texas’s 13th congressional district for two terms, participating in the legislative process during a significant period in American political history and representing the interests of his constituents in the Texas Panhandle and surrounding areas.

Boulter was born in El Paso, Texas, on February 23, 1942. During his childhood, his family moved to Levelland, Texas, where he was raised. He attended Levelland public schools and graduated from Levelland High School in 1960. His early years in West Texas, in a predominantly agricultural and energy-producing region, helped shape his understanding of the economic and social concerns of rural and small-town communities that he would later represent in public office.

Following his graduation from high school, Boulter enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. He pursued undergraduate studies there and received his bachelor’s degree in 1965. He then continued his education in law, attending Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas. Boulter completed his legal studies and graduated from Baylor Law School in 1968, preparing for a professional career in the legal field and laying the groundwork for his later involvement in public service and politics.

After earning his law degree, Boulter established his legal career in Amarillo, Texas. He practiced law in Amarillo, serving clients in a region closely tied to agriculture, ranching, and the oil and gas industry. His work as an attorney brought him into contact with local business, civic, and community issues, and he became increasingly active in public affairs. Boulter entered local government as a member of the Amarillo City Commission, where he gained experience in municipal governance, budgeting, and local policy-making, further raising his profile as a Republican officeholder in a part of Texas that was undergoing political realignment in the late 20th century.

Building on his legal and municipal experience, Boulter sought federal office in the 1984 election cycle. Running as a Republican, he campaigned for the United States House of Representatives from Texas’s 13th congressional district. In that election, he defeated incumbent Democratic Representative Jack Hightower, contributing to a notable Republican advance in Texas sometimes referred to as the “Texas Six Pack,” a group of six U.S. House seats that Republicans gained in the state that year. During the campaign, Boulter publicly addressed issues such as abortion and other social and political questions, positioning himself within the broader conservative movement that was influential in Texas and national politics during the 1980s.

Boulter took office in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 1985, and served two consecutive terms, leaving office on January 3, 1989. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and contributed to the legislative work of the 99th and 100th Congresses. Representing the 13th district of Texas as a Republican, he advocated for the interests of his constituents, which included concerns related to agriculture, energy, and rural development, and he aligned with the policies and priorities of his party during the latter years of the Reagan administration. His tenure coincided with major national debates over fiscal policy, defense, and social issues, and he took part in the legislative deliberations of that era.

In 1988, rather than seeking reelection to his House seat, Boulter ran for the United States Senate from Texas. His Senate campaign was unsuccessful, and as a result he did not return to the House in the subsequent Congress. In 1989 he was succeeded in the House of Representatives by Democrat Bill Sarpalius, who won the election to represent the 13th district after Boulter’s Senate bid. Following his departure from Congress, Boulter returned to private life, resuming his professional and civic activities outside of elected office.