1948 Texas gubernatorial election

1948 Texas gubernatorial election

←  1946 November 2, 1948 1950  →

Nominee Beauford H. Jester Alvin H. Lane Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,024,160 177,399 Percentage 84.72% 14.67%

County results Jester:      60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Lane:      50–60%

Governor before election Beauford H. Jester Democratic Elected Governor Beauford H. Jester Democratic

The 1948 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1948.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Beauford H. Jester defeated Republican nominee Alvin H. Lane with 84.72% of the vote.

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary election was held on July 24, 1948. By winning over 50% of the vote, Jester avoided a run-off which would have been held on August 28, 1948. ^[1]

Candidates

• Roger Q. Evans, state representative ^[2] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1932
• Beauford H. Jester, incumbent governor
• Charles B. Hutchison, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1946
• Caso March, Baylor University law professor ^[3] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1946
• Holmes A. May, merchant ^[4]
• W. J. Minton, newspaper editor ^[5] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1944 and 1946
• Sumpter W. Stockton

Withdrew

• Denver S. Whiteley (endorsed March) ^[6]

Results

Democratic primary results ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beauford H. Jester (incumbent)	642,025	53.27
	Democratic	Roger Q. Evans	279,602	23.20
	Democratic	Caso March	187,658	15.57
	Democratic	Charles B. Hutchison	24,441	2.03
	Democratic	Sumpter W. Stockton	21,243	1.76
	Democratic	Holmes A. May	20,538	1.70
	Democratic	Denver S. Whiteley (withdrawn)	16,090	1.34
	Democratic	W. J. Minton	13,659	1.13
	Democratic	Scattering	1	0.00
Total votes			1,202,257	100.00

Republican nomination

The Republicans unanimously nominated Alvin H. Lane, attorney, at their convention on August 10, 1948. ^[10]

General election

Candidates

• Beauford H. Jester, incumbent governor (Democratic)
• Alvin H. Lane, attorney (Republican)
• Gerald Overholt, pastor (Prohibition) ^[11]
• Herman Wright, attorney (Progressive) ^[12]

Results

1948 Texas gubernatorial election ^{[13] [14] [9] [15] [16]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Beauford H. Jester (incumbent)	1,024,160	84.72%
	Republican	Alvin H. Lane	177,399	14.67%
	Progressive	Herman Wright	3,747	0.31%
	Prohibition	Gerald Overholt	3,554	0.29%
Majority			846,761	70.05%
Turnout			1,208,860	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. "Texans Crowd To Polls To Pick Candidates In Primary Today". Evening star. Washington, D.C. July 24, 1948. p. A-4. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
2. "Facing Texas Runoff, Stevenson, Johnson Both Show Confidence". Evening star. Washington, D.C. July 26, 1948. p. A-14. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
3. "Evans, March rap Jester for ballot lists, surplus". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. July 13, 1948. p. 30. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
4. "May Files For Governor". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. May 21, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
5. "Memorial Honorary Books Are Given to New Public Library". Denton Record-Chronicle. Denton, Texas. November 14, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
6. "The Odessa American from Odessa, Texas · 2". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. July 21, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
7. "TX Governor, 1948 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
8. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 145.
9. Texas Almanac & 1954-1955, p. 348.
10. "G.O.P. Leaves Door Open for O'Daniel". San Antonio Express. San Antonio, Texas. August 11, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
11. "Prohibition Slate Drawn". The Amarillo Globe-Times. Amarillo, Texas. August 10, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
12. Carleton, Don E. (1985). Red Scare!: Right-wing Hysteria, Fifties Fanaticism, and Their Legacy in Texas. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 43. ISBN   978-0-292-75855-1.
13. "TX Governor, 1948". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
14. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 82.
15. Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas, Regular Session of the Fifty-First Legislature (PDF). Austin, Texas. 1949. p. 40.
16. Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 12. ISBN   978-0-7864-7034-1.

Bibliography

• Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN   1-56802-396-0.
• Texas Almanac, 1954-1955. Dallas, Texas: A. H. Belo Corporation. 1953.