Thurman Bartie is a licensed funeral director and embalmer who later became Jefferson County's first Black Justice of the Peace and eventually Port Arthur's mayor.
A lifelong Port Arthur resident, Bartie studied political science at Prairie View A&M, earned a degree from Lamar University, trained in mortuary science, and even picked up a ministry degree, working as a funeral home director, a high school teacher, and a pastor along the way. In 1994 he became Jefferson County's first African American Justice of the Peace, and in 2019 he was elected Port Arthur's mayor, serving until 2025. He narrowly won the 2026 Democratic runoff for Texas's 14th Congressional District by about 200 votes.
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Bartie’s take on Texas values
Bartie has called for rolling back tariffs that raise prices and removing barriers to building more affordable housing. [votebartie.org]