Texas gubernatorial election, 1990

Texas gubernatorial election, 1990

November 6, 1990
Nominee Ann Richards Clayton Williams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,925,670 1,826,431 Percentage 49.5% 46.9%
Texas gubernatorial election results map. Blue denotes counties won by Richards. Red denotes those won by Williams.
Governor before election Bill Clements Republican Elected Governor Ann Richards Democratic

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Government

The 1990 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990 to elect the Governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Bill Clements did not run for re-election, so the election pitted Democrat Ann Richards against Republican Clayton Williams. Richards narrowly defeated Williams on Election Day, winning 50% of the vote to Williams' 47%. As of 2017, this is the most recent time a Democrat was elected Governor of Texas.

Primaries

Republican

Democratic

Campaign

Williams spent freely from his personal fortune, running a "Good Old Boy" campaign initially appealing to conservatives.^[2] Prior to a series of legendary gaffes, he was leading Richards (the race was dubbed "Claytie vs. The Lady")^[3] in the polls and was in striking distance of becoming only the second Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction. Meanwhile, Libertarian nominee Jeff Daiell was launching a TV campaign which, combined with personal appearances across Texas, boosted him to a showing of 129,128 votes. His drawing power made Richards the first Texas governor in many years elected without a majority.^[4]

In one of his widely publicized missteps, Williams refused to shake hands with Ann Richards in a public debate, an act seen as uncouth. Earlier, Williams made an infamous joke to reporters, likening bad weather to rape, having quipped: "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it".^[5] In addition, it has been claimed that as an undergraduate at Texas A&M, he had participated in visits to the Chicken Ranch, a well-known Texas brothel in La Grange, and the Boy's Towns of Mexico.^[6][7] As a result of his reported comments, Williams was occasionally parodied, such as in the mock political ad, "Satan Williams", which appeared on Dallas/Fort Worth public television during the 1990 campaign season.^[8] Richards was sworn-in as the 45th Governor of Texas on January 15, 1991.

Results

References