1978 Texas gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1978 Texas gubernatorial election
Country:Texas
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1974 Texas gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1974
Next Election:1982 Texas gubernatorial election
Next Year:1982
Election Date:November 7, 1978
Image1:File:Clements Deputy DoD.jpg
Nominee1:Bill Clements
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,183,828
Percentage1:50.0%
Nominee2:John Luke Hill
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:1,166,919
Percentage2:49.2%
Map Size:310px
Governor
Before Election:Dolph Briscoe
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Bill Clements
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

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

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Results

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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.

Candidates

Declared

Results

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General election

Results

Further reading

Videos

(1) Bill Clements bio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUX2sglZ-W8

(2) Gubernatorial Debate on October 24, 1978 at KPRC-TV Studios in Houston http://tx.clementspapers.org/media/videos/e_cle_0014539

(3) Republican Primary Gubernatorial Debate in 1978 http://tx.clementspapers.org/media/videos/e_cle_0014540

(4) Gubernatorial Debate on October 27, 1978 at KERA-TV Studios in Dallas http://tx.clementspapers.org/media/videos/ecle0014537