1946 Texas gubernatorial election explained
| Election Name: | 1946 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Texas |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1944 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1944 |
| Next Election: | 1948 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1948 |
| Election Date: | November 5, 1946 |
| Nominee1: | Beauford H. Jester |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 345,513 |
| Percentage1: | 91.23% |
| Nominee2: | Eugene Nolte, Jr. |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 33,231 |
| Percentage2: | 8.77% |
| Map Size: | 310px |
| Governor |
| Before Election: | Coke R. Stevenson |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Beauford H. Jester |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1946 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1946.
Incumbent Democratic Governor Coke R. Stevenson did not seek re-election.
Democratic Governor nominee Beauford H. Jester defeated Republican nominee Eugene Nolte, Jr. with 91.23% of the vote.
To date, this was the last election in which a candidate for Governor of Texas won more than 90% of the vote.
Nominations
Democratic primary
The Democratic primary election was held on July 27, 1946, with the runoff held on August 24, 1946.
Candidates
- Floyd Brinkley
- William V. Brown, mayor of Texarkana[1]
- A. J. Burks, mayor of Odessa
- Charles B. Hutchison
- Beauford H. Jester, Railroad Commissioner
- Caso March, former Baylor University law professor,[2] World War II veteran[3]
- Walter Scott McNutt, president of Jefferson College[4] [5] and independent candidate for Governor of Arkansas in 1938 and 1940[6] [7]
- Homer P. Rainey, former President of the University of Texas[8]
- Jerry Sadler, former Railroad Commissioner
- Grover Sellers, incumbent Texas Attorney General
- C. R. Shaw
- John Lee Smith, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
- Reese Turner, former State Representative[9]
Withdrew
- W. J. Minton, newspaper editor[10] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Governor in 1944
Declined
Results
Republican nomination
The Republican state convention was held on August 13, 1946 at Mineral Wells.[12] [13] [14]
Candidates
- Alvin H. Lane, attorney[15]
- Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr., alcohol distributor[16]
Results
General election
Candidates
Results
Bibliography
- Book: Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997 . Washington, D.C. . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . 1998 . 1-56802-396-0 . .
- Book: . Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 . Dallas, Texas . A. H. Belo Corporation . 1953 . .
Notes and References
- News: . Odessa Mayor Would Be Governor . El Paso Times . El Paso, Texas . 21 March 1946 . 16 . 29 November 2020.
- News: Huckary . John . 23 July 1948 . Poll Shows Caso March Favorite On Campus for Next Governor . The Baylor Lariat . Baylor University, Waco, Texas . 1 . 29 November 2020 .
- News: . Texans Have Wide Choice For Governor . Denton Record-Chronicle . Denton, Texas . 14 July 1946 . 20 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Texans Have Wide Choice For Governor . Denton Record-Chronicle . Denton, Texas . 14 July 1946 . 20 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Under the Capitol Dome . Breckenridge American . Breckenridge, Texas . 30 June 1946 . 4 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Woods opposed by two men in race for State Schools Head . Corsicana Daily Sun . Corsicana, Texas . 19 July 1944 . 2 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Parachuting Professor To Run For Governor . Lubbock Morning Avalanche . Lubbock, Texas . 12 September 1945 . 10 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . 12 Candidates Seek Texas Governorship In Primary Tomorrow . Evening star . Washington, D.C. . 26 July 1946 . A-5 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Reese Turner Enters Race For Governor . The Cameron Herald and Centinel . Cameron, Texas . 30 May 1946 . 1 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Roy Q. Minton Drowned in Gulf At Galveston . Denton Record-Chronicle . Denton, Texas . 27 August 1946 . 1 . 29 November 2020.
- News: . Thirteen Candidates For Governor . The Boerne Star . Boerne, Texas . 20 June 1946 . 2 . 29 November 2020 .
- News: . Texas GOP Gives Senatorial Bid to Gladewater Man . The Mineola Monitor . Mineola, Texas . 15 August 1946 . 1 . 29 November 2020 .
- News: . State GOP Names Candidates For Two High Posts . The Orange Leader . Orange, Texas . 14 August 1946 . 1 . 29 November 2020 .
- News: . Nolte Nominated GOP Candidate in Governor's Race . Borger Daily Herald . Borger, Texas . 14 August 1946 . 6 . 29 November 2020 .
- . Hope Springs Eternal . Texas Week . Austin . Texas Week, Inc. . 1 . 3 . 24 August 1946 . 5 . 29 November 2020 .
- Book: Bowen, Michael . 2011 . The Roots of Modern Conservatism: Dewey, Taft and the Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party . The University of North Carolina Press . 65 . 978-0-8078-3485-5 .
