Hall Democratic Jim Chapman Democratic The 1985 United States House of Representatives special election in Texas's 1st congressional district was held on June 29, 1985, to select the successor to Sam B.

[1] Since no candidate received an outright majority during the first round, a special runoff was held on August 3, 1985.

[3] Gramm had arranged Hall's appointment to the judiciary in an attempt to see a Republican elected from the area.

[4] During the runoff campaign, Assistant U.S. Attorney General William Bradford Reynolds sued the state of Texas, saying the election had to be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice under preclearance established by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Governor Mark White complied with a judicial ruling and submitted the request, and the runoff was not postponed.