1916 Texas gubernatorial election
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]
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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.