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County results Clements: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hill: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Compeán: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Texas |
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Government |
The 1978 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Texas. In a surprising upset, Republican Bill Clements was narrowly elected over Democratic State Attorney General John Luke Hill, winning 50% of the vote to Hill's 49%. In doing so, Clements became the first Republican to be elected governor since Reconstruction in 1869.
Besides Clements' upset victory in the gubernatorial election, Republican Senator John Tower was re-elected to a third full six-year term in the Texas U.S. Senate race. However, the majority of the down-ballot statewide offices remained with the Democratic Party. With a margin of victory of just 0.72%, this was the closest race of the 1978 Gubernatorial Cycle. This is the last time Zavala County did not vote for the Democratic candidate, instead voting for Raza Unida.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Clements | 115,345 | 72.82 | |
Republican | Ray Hutchison | 38,268 | 24.16 | |
Republican | Clarence Thompson | 4,790 | 3.02 | |
Total votes | 158,403 | 100.00 |
Dolph Briscoe, who had first been elected in 1972 and was easily re-elected in 1974, had become increasingly unpopular within the Texas Democratic Party during his six years in office. John Luke Hill fielded a primary challenge against the Governor, as a liberal alternative to Briscoe, who represented the more conservative, rural faction of the party. Dissatisfaction with Briscoe prompted former Governor Preston Smith to enter the race, running as a populist alternative to the other two candidates. Briscoe had previously defeated Smith in the 1972 primary.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Luke Hill | 932,245 | 52.44% | |
Democratic | Dolph Briscoe (incumbent) | 753,309 | 42.37% | |
Democratic | Preston Smith | 92,202 | 5.19% | |
Total votes | 1,777,756 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Clements | 1,183,828 | 49.96 | ||
Democratic | John Luke Hill | 1,166,919 | 49.24 | ||
Raza Unida | Mario C. Compeán | 14,213 | 0.59 | ||
Socialist Workers | Sara Johnston | 4,624 | 0.19 | ||
Total votes | 2,369,999 | 100.00 | |||
Republican gain from Democratic |
(2) Gubernatorial Debate on October 24, 1978 at KPRC-TV Studios in Houston
(3) Republican Primary Gubernatorial Debate in 1978
(4) Gubernatorial Debate on October 27, 1978 at KERA-TV Studios in Dallas
William Perry Clements Jr. was an American businessman and Republican Party politician who served two nonconsecutive terms as the governor of Texas between 1979 and 1991. His terms bookended the sole term served by Mark Wells White, a Democrat who defeated Clements in the 1982 election only to lose his campaign for reelection in 1986.
Mark Wells White Jr. was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 43rd governor of Texas from 1983 to 1987. He also held office as Secretary of State of Texas (1973–1977), and as Texas Attorney General (1979–1983).
The Sharpstown scandal was a stock fraud scandal in the state of Texas in 1971 and 1972 involving the highest levels of the state government. The name came from the involvement of the Sharpstown area of Houston.
Dolph Briscoe Jr. was an American rancher and businessman from Uvalde, Texas, who was the 41st governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
The 2006 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006, to elect the governor of Texas. The election was a rare five-way race, with incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry running for re-election against Democrat Chris Bell and Independents Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman, as well as Libertarian nominee James Werner.
The 1994 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Governor Ann Richards was defeated in her bid for re-election by Republican nominee and future President George W. Bush, the son of former President George H. W. Bush.
United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 2002, in 36 states and two territories. The Republicans won eight seats previously held by the Democrats, as well as the seat previously held by Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, who was elected on the Reform Party ticket but had since renounced his party affiliation. The Democrats won 10 seats previously held by the Republicans, as well as the seat previously held by Maine governor Angus King, an independent. The elections were held concurrently with the other United States elections of 2002.
John Luke Hill Jr. was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, and judge. He is the only person to have served as Secretary of State of Texas, Texas Attorney General, and Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry ran successfully for election to a third consecutive term. He won the Republican primary against U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina. The former mayor of Houston, Bill White, won the Democratic nomination. Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas Attorney General, won the Libertarian nomination. Deb Shafto was the nominee of the Texas Green Party. Andy Barron, an orthodontist from Lubbock, was a declared write-in candidate.
The 1990 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Bill Clements did not run for re-election, so the election pitted Democrat Ann Richards against Republican Clayton Williams. Richards narrowly defeated Williams on Election Day, winning 49.5% of the vote to Williams' 46.9%. As of 2024, this is also the most recent time the Democratic candidate has carried Collingsworth, Childress, Wilbarger, Wichita, Archer, Throckmorton, Montague, Wise, Tarrant, Grayson, Lamar, Hopkins, Titus, Bowie, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, Jasper, Hardin, Angelina, Polk, Houston, Madison, Walker, Kaufman, Navarro, Henderson, Hill, McLennan, Williamson, Burleson, Waller, and Refugio counties. As of 2024, this is the last time a Democrat and a woman was elected Governor of Texas, as well as the most recent Texas gubernatorial election in which both major parties' nominees have since died.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 6, 2012, along with other elections to the United States Senate the United States House of Representatives in additional states. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fourth full term. This was the first open seat in this seat since 1957.
The 1972 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Governor Preston Smith ran for reelection, but lost renomination to businessman Dolph Briscoe. Smith was overwhelmingly rejected in the Democratic primary, taking fourth place with only 8% of the vote amid the fallout from the Sharpstown scandal. Briscoe went on to win the general election by a relatively small margin, winning 48% of the vote to Republican Henry Grover's 45%. Raza Unida candidate Ramsey Muniz won 6%.
The 1986 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986, to elect the governor of Texas. The election was a rematch of the 1982 election, as incumbent Democratic Governor Mark White ran for reelection against former Republican Governor Bill Clements. Clements was elected to a second, non-consecutive term as governor, winning 53% of the vote to White's 46%. As of 2023, this is the last time Grimes and Chambers counties have voted for the Democratic nominee for governor.
The 1974 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Governor Dolph Briscoe was easily re-elected to a second term, winning 61% of the vote to the 31% of Republican Jim Granberry, the former mayor of Lubbock. Raza Unida candidate Ramsey Muniz won 6%, while the remaining 2% were cast for other candidates.
The 2014 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry, who had served since the resignation of then-Governor George W. Bush on December 21, 2000, declined to run for an unprecedented fourth full term, making this the first open election for governor of the state since 1990.
Ramiro Muñiz, known as Ramsey Muñiz, was an American political activist. Muñiz was a Mexican American who ran for governor of Texas in 1972 and 1974, each time as the nominee of the Raza Unida Party. He lost both elections to the Democrat Dolph Briscoe, a wealthy banker and landowner from Uvalde, Texas. He is the first Hispanic whose name appeared on a Texas gubernatorial general election ballot.
Peter J. O'Donnell Jr. was an American businessman, securities investor and philanthropist. From 1962 to 1969, he was the Texas Republican state chair. In 1963, he was also the national chair of the Draft Goldwater Committee.
Jack Martin is an entrepreneur, businessman, and rancher. He previously served as the global executive chairman and chief executive officer of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a global public relations consultancy, and as a Democratic consultant. Martin is a former chairman of the Texas State University System Board of Regents and has served on the LBJ Foundation's board of trustees. The foundation supports the LBJ Presidential Library and LBJ School of Public Affairs. Jack Martin also served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Baylor Scott and White hospital system. Martin is also a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
The 1968 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1968, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Governor John Connally did not run for reelection to a fourth term, so the election pitted Democrat Preston Smith against Republican Paul Eggers. Smith was easily elected, winning 57% of the vote to Eggers' 43%.
David Dean is an American lawyer and lobbyist who was Secretary of State of Texas from 1981 to 1983.