2000 Texas Democratic presidential primary explained

Election Name:2000 Texas Democratic presidential primary
Country:Texas
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1996 Texas Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:1996
Next Election:2004 Texas Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:2004
Candidate1:Al Gore
Colour1:3333FF
Home State1:Tennessee
Delegate Count1:182
Popular Vote1:631,428
Percentage1:80.24%
Candidate2:Bill Bradley
(withdrawn)
Colour2:FA8320
Home State2:New Jersey
Delegate Count2:12
Popular Vote2:128,564
Percentage2:16.34%
Map Size:310px
Outgoing Members:TN
Elected Members:GU
Votes For Election:231 delegates to the Democratic National Convention (194 pledged, 37 unpledged)
The number of pledged delegates received is determined by the popular vote

The 2000 Texas Democratic presidential primary took place on March 14, 2000, as one of 6 contests scheduled on the week following Super Tuesday in the Democratic Party primaries for the 2000 presidential election, following the Nevada caucuses the weekend before. The Texas primary was an open primary, with the state awarding one the largest amounts of national convention delegates on Mini Tuesday and third-largest amount overall: 231 delegates, of which 194 were pledged delegates allocated on the basis of the primary.

Vice president Al Gore easily won the primary, winning over 80% of the vote and 182 delegates. Senator Bill Bradley took 16% of the vote and earned 12 delegates, while Lyndon LaRouche Jr. only got 3% of the vote.

Procedure

Texas was one of six states which held primaries on March 14, 2000, alongside Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee after Super Tuesday the week before.[1]

Voting took place throughout the state from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. local time. In the primary, candidates had to meet a threshold of 15 percent at the state senatorial district or statewide level in order to be considered viable (Texas was the only state to chose districts from state senate elections over congressional districts for delegate distribution). The 194 pledged delegates to the 2000 Democratic National Convention were allocated proportionally on the basis of the results of the primary. Of these, between 2 and 7 were allocated to each of the state's 31 state senatorial districts based on their level of support for the Democratic nominees for president in 1996 and Governor in 1998, and another 25 allocated to party leaders and elected officials (PLEO delegates), in addition to 42 at-large delegates.[2]

After precinct, county, and senatorial district conventions during which delegates to the state convention were nominated, the state convention was subsequently held on June 10, 2000, to vote on the 42 at-large and 25 pledged PLEO delegates for the Democratic National Convention. The delegation also included 34 unpledged PLEO delegates: 15 members of the Democratic National Committee, 17 representatives from Congress (Max Sandlin, Jim Turner, Ralph Hall, Nick Lampson, Lloyd Doggett, Chet Edwards, Rubén Hinojosa, Silvestre Reyes, Charles Stenholm, Sheila Jackson Lee, Henry González, Martin Frost, Ken Bentsen, Solomon Ortiz, Ciro Rodriguez, Gene Green, and Eddie Bernice Johnson), 2 distinguished party leaders, and 3 add-ons.[2]

Pledged national
convention
delegates
TypeTypeType
SD15SD125SD235
SD24SD137SD243
SD35SD147SD254
SD45SD154SD264
SD54SD163SD274
SD63SD174SD283
SD73SD184SD294
SD83SD194SD304
SD93SD205SD312
SD104SD21430
SD114SD224At-large42
Total pledged delegates194

Candidates

The following candidates appeared on the ballot:

Withdrawn

Results

2000 Texas Democratic presidential primary[3] ! Candidate! Votes! %! Delegates[4]
Al Gore631,42880.24182
Bill Bradley (withdrawn)128,56416.3412
Lyndon LaRouche Jr.26,8983.42rowspan=1
Uncommitted--37
Total786,890100%231

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions Chronologically - Key and Minor Dates. The Green Papers. September 15, 2023.
  2. Web site: Texas Democratic Delegation 2000. The Green Papers. December 23, 2000. September 15, 2023.
  3. Web site: 2000 Democratic Party Primary Election. Texas Secretary of State. September 15, 2023.
  4. Web site: Election 2000: Texas Democrat. The Green Papers. September 15, 2023.