1948 Texas gubernatorial election

The 1948 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1948.

1948 Texas gubernatorial election

← 1946 November 2, 1948 1950 →
 
Nominee Beauford H. Jester Alvin H. Lane
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,024,160 177,399
Percentage 84.72% 14.67%

County results
Jester:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Lane:      50–60%

Governor before election

Beauford H. Jester
Democratic

Elected Governor

Beauford H. Jester
Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Beauford H. Jester defeated Republican nominee Alvin H. Lane with 84.72% of the vote.

Democratic primary

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The Democratic primary election was held on July 24, 1948. By winning over 50% of the vote, Jester avoided a run-off which would have been held on August 28, 1948.[1]

Candidates

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  • Roger Q. Evans, state representative[2] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1932
  • Beauford H. Jester, incumbent governor
  • Charles B. Hutchison, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1946
  • Caso March, Baylor University law professor[3] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1946
  • Holmes A. May, merchant[4]
  • W. J. Minton, newspaper editor[5] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1944 and 1946
  • Sumpter W. Stockton

Withdrew

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  • Denver S. Whiteley (endorsed March)[6]

Results

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Democratic primary results[7][8][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Beauford H. Jester (incumbent) 642,025 53.27
Democratic Roger Q. Evans 279,602 23.20
Democratic Caso March 187,658 15.57
Democratic Charles B. Hutchison 24,441 2.03
Democratic Sumpter W. Stockton 21,243 1.76
Democratic Holmes A. May 20,538 1.70
Democratic Denver S. Whiteley (withdrawn) 16,090 1.34
Democratic W. J. Minton 13,659 1.13
Democratic Scattering 1 0.00
Total votes 1,202,257 100.00

Republican nomination

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The Republicans unanimously nominated Alvin H. Lane, attorney, at their convention on August 10, 1948.[10]

General election

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Candidates

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  • Beauford H. Jester, incumbent governor (Democratic)
  • Alvin H. Lane, attorney (Republican)
  • Gerald Overholt, pastor (Prohibition)[11]
  • Herman Wright, attorney (Progressive)[12]

Results

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1948 Texas gubernatorial election[13][14][9][15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Beauford H. Jester (incumbent) 1,024,160 84.72%
Republican Alvin H. Lane 177,399 14.67%
Progressive Herman Wright 3,747 0.31%
Prohibition Gerald Overholt 3,554 0.29%
Majority 846,761 70.05%
Turnout 1,208,860 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ "Texans Crowd To Polls To Pick Candidates In Primary Today". Evening star. Washington, D.C. July 24, 1948. p. A-4. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "Facing Texas Runoff, Stevenson, Johnson Both Show Confidence". Evening star. Washington, D.C. July 26, 1948. p. A-14. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  3. ^ "Evans, March rap Jester for ballot lists, surplus". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. July 13, 1948. p. 30. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  4. ^ "May Files For Governor". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. May 21, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  5. ^ "Memorial Honorary Books Are Given to New Public Library". Denton Record-Chronicle. Denton, Texas. November 14, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "The Odessa American from Odessa, Texas · 2". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. July 21, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  7. ^ "TX Governor, 1948 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 145.
  9. ^ a b Texas Almanac & 1954-1955, p. 348.
  10. ^ "G.O.P. Leaves Door Open for O'Daniel". San Antonio Express. San Antonio, Texas. August 11, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  11. ^ "Prohibition Slate Drawn". The Amarillo Globe-Times. Amarillo, Texas. August 10, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  12. ^ Carleton, Don E. (1985). Red Scare!: Right-wing Hysteria, Fifties Fanaticism, and Their Legacy in Texas. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-292-75855-1.
  13. ^ "TX Governor, 1948". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 82.
  15. ^ Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas, Regular Session of the Fifty-First Legislature (PDF). Austin, Texas. 1949. p. 40.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. ^ Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7864-7034-1.

Bibliography

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