Hall, 90, is the oldest member of the House in U.S. history. Hall gets boost from fellow Texans

Texas Republican Rep. Ralph Hall is getting a little help from his friends.

House Republican Conference Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) has organized a lunch fundraiser for Hall that nearly the entire Texas Republican delegation — including Sen. John Cornyn —is slated to attend.


The Wednesday event requires hosts to contribute $5,000. Co-hosts must give $2,500, while PACs and individuals must donate $1,000 and $500, respectively.

The fundraiser is expected to yield more than $50,000 for Hall’s reelection campaign, said sources familiar with the event.

Along with McMorris Rodgers, Texas GOP Reps. Lamar Smith, Sam Johnson, Mike Conaway, Randy Neugebauer, Kenny Marchant and Mike Burgess took the lead in putting together the fundraiser, said the sources.

Hall, who turns 91 in less than a month, is the oldest member of the House in U.S. history, and he is facing the toughest reelection of his career. He is in a primary runoff with John Ratcliffe, a former U.S. attorney.

Hall led Ratcliffe by a 46 percent to 29 percent margin in the Texas Republican primary last month, but he did not reach the 50 percent margin, meaning a runoff is required. The runoff is set for May 27.

Hall was first elected to the House in 1980 as a Democrat, but he switched parties in January 2004.

Hall has raised $118,000 and had nearly $141,000 in his campaign coffers as of mid-February, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Ratcliffe, who loaned himself $400,000 for the race, had just over $201,000 in cash on hand on Feb. 12, his FEC report shows.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Steve Stockman are not listed on the invitation as sponsors of the event, the only lawmakers from the huge Texas GOP delegation to be left off the list.