1978 Texas gubernatorial election: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (15 intermediate revisions by 12 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] --> |
|||
{{Short description|American election}} |
|||
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} |
|||
{{Infobox election |
{{Infobox election |
||
| election_name = 1978 Texas gubernatorial election |
| election_name = 1978 Texas gubernatorial election |
||
| Line 10: | Line 11: | ||
| next_year = 1982 |
| next_year = 1982 |
||
| election_date = November 7, 1978 |
| election_date = November 7, 1978 |
||
| image1 = |
| image1 = File:Bill Clements in 1978 (cropped).jpg |
||
| image_size = 150x150px |
|||
| nominee1 = '''[[Bill Clements]]''' |
| nominee1 = '''[[Bill Clements]]''' |
||
| party1 = Republican Party (United States) |
| party1 = Republican Party (United States) |
||
| popular_vote1 = '''1,183,828''' |
| popular_vote1 = '''1,183,828''' |
||
| percentage1 = '''50.0%''' |
| percentage1 = '''50.0%''' |
||
| image2 = |
| image2 = 3x4.svg |
||
| nominee2 = [[John Luke Hill]] |
| nominee2 = [[John Luke Hill]] |
||
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States) |
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States) |
||
| Line 21: | Line 23: | ||
| percentage2 = 49.2% |
| percentage2 = 49.2% |
||
| map_image = 1978 Texas gubernatorial election results map by county.svg |
| map_image = 1978 Texas gubernatorial election results map by county.svg |
||
| map_size = |
| map_size = 310px |
||
| map_caption = County results<br/>'''Clements:''' {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}<br/>'''Hill:''' {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}<br/>'''Compeán:''' {{legend0|#ff8649|50–60%}} |
| map_caption = County results<br/>'''Clements:''' {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}<br/>'''Hill:''' {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}<br/>'''Compeán:''' {{legend0|#ff8649|50–60%}} |
||
| title = [[Governor of Texas|Governor]] |
| title = [[Governor of Texas|Governor]] |
||
| before_election = [[Dolph Briscoe]] |
| before_election = [[Dolph Briscoe]] |
||
| Line 31: | Line 32: | ||
}} |
}} |
||
{{Elections in Texas sidebar}} |
{{Elections in Texas sidebar}} |
||
The '''1978 Texas gubernatorial election''' was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the [[governor of Texas]]. In a surprising upset, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Bill Clements]] was narrowly elected over [[Democratic Party (United States)|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 Era|Reconstruction]]. |
The '''1978 Texas gubernatorial election''' was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the [[governor of Texas]]. In a surprising upset, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Bill Clements]] was narrowly elected over [[Democratic Party (United States)|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 Era|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 |
Besides Clements' upset victory in the gubernatorial election, Republican Senator [[John Tower]] was [[1978 United States Senate election in Texas|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, Texas|Zavala County]] did not vote for the Democratic candidate, instead voting for Raza Unida. |
||
==Republican |
==Republican primary== |
||
===Candidates=== |
===Candidates=== |
||
====Declared==== |
====Declared==== |
||
* [[Bill Clements]], businessman and former Deputy Secretary of Defense |
* [[Bill Clements]], businessman and former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Defense |
||
* Ray Hutchison, attorney, former State Representative and husband of [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] |
* Ray Hutchison, attorney, former State Representative and husband of [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] |
||
* Clarence Thompson |
* Clarence Thompson |
||
====Withdrew==== |
====Withdrew==== |
||
* [[James M. Collins]], U.S. Representative (endorsed Clements) |
* [[James M. Collins]], U.S. Representative from Dallas (endorsed Clements) |
||
===Results=== |
===Results=== |
||
| Line 73: | Line 74: | ||
|} |
|} |
||
==Democratic |
==Democratic primary== |
||
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. |
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. |
||
| Line 110: | Line 111: | ||
|} |
|} |
||
==General election== |
|||
==Results== |
===Results=== |
||
{{Election box begin no change |
{{Election box begin no change |
||
| title=General election results |
| title=General election results |
||
| Line 171: | Line 173: | ||
[[Category:1978 Texas elections|Gubernatorial]] |
[[Category:1978 Texas elections|Gubernatorial]] |
||
[[Category:November 1978 events in the United States]] |
[[Category:November 1978 events in the United States]] |
||
[[Category:1978 in Texas]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 05:24, 24 December 2024
 | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 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% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
| Elections in Texas |
|---|
 |
 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.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Bill Clements, businessman and former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Defense
- Ray Hutchison, attorney, former State Representative and husband of Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Clarence Thompson
Withdrew
[edit]- James M. Collins, U.S. Representative from Dallas (endorsed Clements)
Results
[edit]| 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 | ||
Democratic primary
[edit]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.
Candidates
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Dolph Briscoe, incumbent Governor
- John Luke Hill, Attorney General of Texas
- Preston Smith, former Governor
Results
[edit]| 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 | ||
General election
[edit]Results
[edit]| 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 | |||||
Further reading
[edit]- Bridges, Kenneth. Twilight of the Texas Democrats: The 1978 Governor’s Race (Texas A&M University Press, 2008), 219 pp.
- Cunningham, Sean P. Cowboy Conservatism: Texas and the Rise of the Modern Right. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2010.
Videos
[edit](1) Bill Clements bio [1]
(2) Gubernatorial Debate on October 24, 1978 at KPRC-TV Studios in Houston [2]
(3) Republican Primary Gubernatorial Debate in 1978 [3]
(4) Gubernatorial Debate on October 27, 1978 at KERA-TV Studios in Dallas [4]