1916 Texas gubernatorial election
Election for Governor of Texas
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The 1916 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1916 in order to elect the Governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic governor James E. "Pa" Ferguson easily won re-election to a second term, defeating his Republican challenger, Rentfro Creager.[1]
Ferguson would be impeached and removed from office on nine charges just over 9 months after his re-election in 1916. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor William P. Hobby.[2]
Democratic primary
In the primary, Governor Ferguson was challenged by fellow Democrat Charles H. Morris. Ferguson fended off the primary challenge, winning 57% of the vote and securing the nomination, which at the time, was seen as tantamount to victory, as Texas was a prohibitively Democratic-controlled state in the early 20th century.[3]
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James E. Ferguson (incumbent) | 240,561 | 57.02 | |
| Democratic | Charles H. Morris | 174,611 | 41.39 | |
| Democratic | H. C. Marshall | 6,731 | 1.60 | |
| Total votes | 421,903 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Ferguson faced token Republican opposition in the general election from republican nominee Rentfro Creager, and defeated him by a 68.1% margin of victory.[4]
Results
| Texas Gubernatorial Election, 1916 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |
| Democratic | James E. Ferguson (incumbent) | 296,667 | 81.60% | |
| Republican | Rentfro Banton Creager | 49,118 | 13.51% | |
| Socialist | E. R. Meitzen | 14,580 | 4.01% | |
| Prohibition | H. W. Lewis | 3,200 | 0.88% | |
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ^ "Election of Texas Governors, 1900-1948 | TX Almanac". www.texasalmanac.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Texas Politics - Governors: James E. Ferguson". texaspolitics.utexas.edu. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - TX Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 22, 1916". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - TX Governor Race - Nov 07, 1916". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
