1994 Texas gubernatorial election

1994 Texas gubernatorial election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	50.87%
Nominee George W. Bush Ann Richards Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,350,994 2,016,928 Percentage 53.48% 45.88%
County results Bush:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Richards:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Governor before election Ann Richards Democratic Elected Governor George W. Bush Republican

Elections in Texas
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Austin Mayoral elections 2003 2006 2009 2012 2014 2018 2022
Corpus Christi Mayoral elections 2012 2014 2016 2017 sp 2018 2020
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El Paso Mayoral elections 2001 2003 2005 2009 2013 2017 2020 Municipal elections 2017 2020
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Laredo Mayoral elections 2018
Lubbock Mayoral elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
San Antonio Mayoral elections 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021
Government
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The 1994 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Governor Ann Richards was defeated in her bid for re-election by Republican nominee George W. Bush, the son of former President George H. W. Bush.

Before the election, Richards had a high approval rating due to the strength of the state economy. However, Bush's campaigning on cultural and religious issues resonated with many Texan voters, and the race was considered a tossup on election day.

On election day, Bush carried 188 of the state's 254 counties, while Richards carried 66. Exit polls revealed that Bush won overwhelmingly among white voters (69% to 31%) while Richards performed well among African Americans (83% to 15%) and Latinos (75% to 25%). The 1994 election marked the last time that a Democrat won more than 45% of the vote in a Texas gubernatorial election, but it was not the last election in which the Democrats won any statewide offices, as Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, Attorney General Dan Morales, Land Commissioner Garry Mauro and Comptroller John Sharp all won reelection.

Bush's victory was one of the most notable in the 1994 Republican Revolution, that also ousted New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

Primaries[]

Republican[]

Democratic[]

Polling[]

Campaign[]

On June 11, 1994, 54 delegates met at the Libertarian state convention to statewide nominees. Keary Ehlers was given the gubernatorial nomination and the other statewide nominees were selected on June 12.^[1] Tom Pauken, the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, stated that Keary Ehlers should withdraw to help Bush win the election. Jay Manifold, the chairman of the Libertarian Party of Texas, stated that Bush should withdraw to help Ehlers win the election in response.^[2]

Endorsements[]

Results[]

References[]