Title Twilight of the Texas Democrats : the 1978 governor's race / Kenneth Bridges

Edition 1st ed Published College Station : Texas A & M University Press, ©2008

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Description 1 online resource (viii, 219 pages, 6 unnumbered pages of plates) : illustrations, maps Series Centennial series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A & M University ; no. 107 Centennial series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A & M University ; no. 107 Contents 1 Texas in 1978 1 -- 2 The Democratic Revolution 23 -- 3 A Family Affair: The Republican Primary 49 -- 4 Eye of the Storm 69 -- 5 The Best-Laid Plans 83 -- 6 "And the People Win Every Time": November 7, 1978 112 -- 7 The Once and Future Governor 124 Summary "In 1978, Republican William P. Clements won the race for governor of the Lone Star State, marking the start of an interlude of two-party competition in the state. Eventually, Republican ascendancy would once again make Texas a "safe" place for a single party - but not the party that had dominated the state since the end of Reconstruction." "At the time, observers asked whether the election of a Republican governor was a mere flash in the pan. For the previous twenty years, other races, at every level from national to local, had made inroads into Democratic strongholds, but the party's dominance by and large had held. In 1978, that changed." "Now, historian Kenneth Bridges - drawing on polling data, newspaper reports, archival sources, and extensive interviews - both confirms the significance of the election and explains the many and complex forces at work in it. He analyzes a wide range of factors that includes the disaffection among Mexican American voters fanned by La Raza Unida, miscalculations by Democrat John Hill and his campaign staff, the superior polling techniques used by Clements, the unpopularity of the Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, the changing demographics of the state, and the unprecedented spending by the Clements team. In the process Bridges describes a partisan realignment among Texas voters, not an ideological one." "Twilight of the Texas Democrats promises to illuminate studies in both political science and regional history."--Jacket Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 203-210) and index Notes Print version record Subject Clements, William P., 1917-2011. SUBJECT Clements, William P., 1917-2011. fast (OCoLC)fst01759978 Subject Democratic Party (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century Republican Party (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century SUBJECT Democratic Party (Tex.) fast (OCoLC)fst00539994 Republican Party (Tex.) fast (OCoLC)fst00563014 Subject Governors -- Texas -- Election -- History -- 20th century Political candidates -- Texas -- Biography Politicians -- Texas -- Biography Political parties -- Texas -- History -- 20th century Political campaigns -- Texas -- History -- 20th century Party affiliation -- Texas -- History -- 20th century Governors -- Election. Party affiliation. Political campaigns. Political candidates. Political parties. Politics and government Politicians. SUBJECT Texas -- Politics and government -- 1951- http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85134281 Subject Texas. Genre/Form Biographies. History. Form Electronic book ISBN 9781603444088 1603444084

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