1920 Texas gubernatorial election

The 1920 Texas gubernatorial election was held on 2 November 1920 in order to elect the Governor of Texas. Former Democratic state representative Pat Morris Neff won comfortably in a four-way race against Republican nominee J. G. Culbertson, American Party of Texas nominee T. H. McGregor, and Black and Tan Republican nominee Hickerson Capers.[2]

1920 Texas gubernatorial election

← 1918 2 November 1920 1922 →
Turnout68.3%[1]
 
Nominee Pat Morris Neff J. G. Culbertson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 289,188 90,217
Percentage 60.0% 18.7%

 
Nominee T. H. McGregor Hickerson Capers
Party American Black-and-Tan Republican
Popular vote 69,380 26,091
Percentage 14.4% 5.4%

County Results

Governor before election

William P. Hobby
Democratic

Elected Governor

Pat Morris Neff
Democratic

Democratic primary

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In the primary, held on July 24, 1920, former Senator Joseph W. Bailey won the most votes, with Neff in second place; with neither candidate achieving 50%, a runoff was required.[3]

In the runoff, Neff won by just under 18 percentage points against Bailey, or 79,373 raw votes, making him the Democratic nominee and the presumptive governor; Texas - in this era - was a Democratic-dominated southern state in which the primary was almost always the deciding race in the election.[4]

First Round Results

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Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joseph W. Bailey 152,340 33.87
Democratic Patrick Morris Neff 149,818 33.31
Democratic R. Ewing Thomason 99,002 22.01
Democratic Benjamin F. Looney 48,640 10.81
Total votes 449,800 100.00

Runoff Results

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Democratic runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick Morris Neff 264,075 58.84
Democratic Joseph W. Bailey 184,702 41.16
Total votes 448,777 100.00

General election

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Neff faced numerous opponents in the general election, including T.H. McGregor of the American Party, a party established by formerly impeached and convicted Texas governor "James "Pa" Ferguson for the purposes of running for president in the concurrent presidential election.[5] Neff received 60.0% of the vote, a lower share than usual for most Democrats in Texas at the time, but this was due large, multi-candidate field rather than the more typical 1-on-1 between a Democrat and a Republican.[6]

Candidates

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Results

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Texas Gubernatorial Election, 1920
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Pat Morris Neff 289,188 60.03%
Republican J. G. Culbertson 90,217 18.73%
American T.H. McGregor 69,380 14.40%
Black and Tan Republican Hickson Capers 26,091 5.42%
Socialist Lee Lightfoot Rhodes 6,796 1.41%
Others 59 0.01%
Total Votes 481,731 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ "Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide 1925". Portal to Texas History. October 2010.
  2. ^ "Election of Texas Governors, 1900-1948 | TX Almanac". www.texasalmanac.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - TX Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 24, 1920". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - TX Governor - D Runoff Race - Aug 28, 1920". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "Texas Politics - Governors: James E. Ferguson". texaspolitics.utexas.edu. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns - TX Governor Race - Nov 02, 1920". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  7. ^ Turner, Thomas E. (February 17, 2022). "Neff, Pat Morris (1871–1952)". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Business Leader in Plan to Stimulate Buying". Miami Daily Record-Herald. March 20, 1921. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "Republicans Have Two Conventions". Temple Daily Telegram. Vol. 13, no. 266. August 11, 1920. pp. 1 & 3. Retrieved March 27, 2024 – via University of North Texas.
  10. ^ Ness, Immanuel; Ciment, James, eds. (2000). "American Party 1919-1920". The Encyclopedia of Third Parties in America. Vol. 1. Armonk, New York: Sharpe Reference. p. 153. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  11. ^ "Another Richmond in the Field". The Houston Post. April 18, 1920. p. 34. Retrieved November 26, 2023 – via The Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas. the announcement of Mr. Temple H. McGregor for governor on the American party ticket
  12. ^ Green, Michael (April 15, 2015). "Rhodes, Lee Lightfoot (1864–1936)". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "Color Line Splits, Republican Party in Texas Again; Two Tickets Named". El Paso Herald. August 11, 1920. Retrieved November 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Neff Big Victor Sweeps All Texas". The Austin American. November 3, 1920. Retrieved November 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. H. C. Capers of the Black and Tan Republican party