Kazen, Chick, 1919-1987

Abraham "Chick" Kazen, Jr. (January 17, 1919 – November 29, 1987) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd congressional district from 1967 to 1985.

Born and raised in Laredo, Texas, he graduated from Laredo High School there before attending the University of Texas at Austin from 1937 to 1940 and graduating from the Cumberland School of Law in 1941. Admitted to the bar in 1942, he commenced practice in Laredo, Texas. Kazen served in 1942 as a United States Army Air Corps pilot at the since closed Lubbock Air Force Base. During World War II, Kazen fought in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy as a pilot in Troop Carrier Command. He was discharged in 1953 with the rank of captain. In 1946, Kazen was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and served from 1947 to 1953. He then served in the Texas Senate from 1953 to 1967, and was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate in 1959, serving as acting governor of Texas on August 4, 1959.

Kazen was elected to Congress as a Democrat in 1966 representing the newly created 23rd District. He was reelected eight more times with no substantive opposition; due in part to demographic changes, Bexar County circuit court judge Albert Bustamante upset Kazen in the 1984 Democratic primary. Kazen retired to Laredo after his congressional defeat. He died in Austin, Texas.