It’s official. Texas is now a Republican state. The GOP went 10-0 in statewide
races on Tuesday, and none of them were really even close. Republicans took
over a 6-3 majority on the Court of Criminal Appeals, to go with their 7-2 edge
on the state Supreme Court, 3-0 on the Railroad Commission, and 9-6 control of
the State Board of Education.
U.S. President/Vice President:
Bob Dole/Jack Kemp (R) 49%
Bill Clinton/Al Gore (D) 44%
Ross Perot/James Campbell 7%
Harry Browne/Jo Jorgensen (L) 0.4%
John Hagelin/Mike Tompkins (N) .1%
Howard Phillips/Herbert Titus (U).1%
Ralph Nader/Winona LaDuke (W)
Mary Cal Hollis/Eric Chester (W)
U.S. Senator:
Phil Gramm (R) 55%
Victor Morales (D) 44%
Michael Bird (L) 1%
John Huff (N) 0.4%
Railroad Commissioner:
Carole Keeton Rylander (R) 58%
Hector Uribe (D) 39%
Rick Draheim (L) 2%
Paul Pigue (N) 1%
Supreme Court Chief Justice:
Tom Phillips (R) 56%
Andrew Jackson Kupper (D) 41%
David Parker (L) 3%
Supreme Court Justice Place 1:
John Cornyn (R) 52%;
Patrice Barron (D) 46%
Thomas Stults (L) 3%
Supreme Court Justice Place 2:
James A. Baker (R) 54%
Gene Kelly (D) 43%
Eileen Flume (L) 4%
Supreme Court Place 3:
Greg Abbott (R) 84%
John B. Hawley (L) 16%
Criminal Appeals Judge Place 1:
Sue Holland (R) 55%
Bob Perkins (D) 45%
Criminal Appeals Judge Place 2:
Paul Womack (R) 53%
Charles Holcomb (D) 47%
Criminal Appeals Judge Place 3:
Tom Price (R) 54%
Frank Maloney (D) 46%
Texas Legislature
Democrats effectively lost their majority in the Senate; the current split is15-15, with a pick-’em runoff coming up in Lubbock’s 28th District, and a
special election needed in East Texas to fill a Dem seat vacated by Jim Turner,
who moved up to the U.S. House. In the Texas House, the GOP gained about five
seats, but Democrats hold about an 80-70 majority. There were no surprises
locally, as all five Travis County incumbent Democrats improved on their
showings from two years ago, and Terry Keel easily kept District 47 in the GOP
column. Statewide, incumbents went 47-5 in the House, and 6-0 in the Senate.
State Senator District 14:
Gonzalo Barrientos (D) 85%
Sandra L. BonSell (N) 15%
State Senator District 47:
Terry Keel (R) 69%
John Lindell (D) 29%,
John Stern (N) 2%
State Representative District 49:
Elliot Naishtat (D) 63%
Emil Blomquist (R) 37%
State Representative District 51:
Glen Maxey (D) 72%
David “Breadman” Blakely (R) 24%
Dan Wolfe (N) 4%
U.S. House
Incumbents went 20-0 in Texas, with two more headed for Dec. 10 runoffs. Notcounting those, Dems had a net loss of three seats in Texas, and hold a 15-13
edge in the new delegation, down from 18-10.
U.S. Representative District 10:
Lloyd Doggett (D) 56%
Teresa Doggett (R) 41%
Gary Johnson (L) 2%
Steve Klayman (N) 1%
U.S. Representative District 14:
Ron Paul (R) 51%
Charles “Lefty” Morris (D) 47%
Ed Fasanella (N) 1%
County / Local
District Attorney District 53:Ronald Earle (D) 55%
Shane Phelps (R) 45%
County Sheriff:
Margo Frasier (D) 52 %
Alvin Shaw (R) 48%
County Tax Assessor-Collector:
Nelda Wells Spears (D) 69%
Irby M. “Red” Ford (R) 31%
County Commissioner Place 1:
Sam Biscoe (D) 88%
Vincent May (L) 12%
Constable Precinct 2: Bob Vann (R) 57%
David Bintliff (D) 43%
Constable Precinct 3:
Kevin Miskell (D) 50.6%
Lee Bergeron (R) 49.4%
Appeals Chief Justice District 3:
Jimmy Carroll (D) 57%
Skeet Des Champs (R) 43%
District Judge District 353:
Margaret Cooper (D) 59%
John C. Drolla (R) 41%
Board of Education District 10:
Will Davis (D) 59%
Charlie Weaver (R) 45%
Catherine Randolph (N) 5%
Key: Winners in bold.
R =Republican; D =Democrat;
L =Libertarian;N =Natural Law;
U =U.S. Taxpayer; I =Independent;
W = Write-In (write-in totals not available at press time)
This article appears in November 8 • 1996 and November 8 • 1996 (Cover).