Texas gubernatorial election, 1978

← 1974 November 7, 1978 1982 →

Nominee Bill Clements John Luke Hill Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,183,828 1,166,919 Percentage 50.0% 49.2%

Results by county

Governor before election Dolph Briscoe Democratic Elected Governor Bill Clements Republican

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Government
v t e

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 Democrat 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.

Republican Party[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]

• 
  Bill Clements, businessman and former Deputy 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 (endorsed Clements)

Results[edit]

Democratic Party[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]

Results[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Bridges, Kenneth William. "The twilight of the Texas democrats: The 1978 governor's race", Ph.D. dissertation, University of North Texas, 2003, 281 pages; AAT 3117260 in ProQuest
  

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]

References[edit]