alternatehistory.com

The PoD is that 1990 Texas gubernatorial Republicans candidate Clayton Williams does not joke about rape and shakes Ann Richards's hand in the debate, enabling him to pull off a narrow victory.
--------------------------------------------
"Claytie started out way ahead. He outspent his Democratic opponent, Treasurer Ann Richards, by a margin of 2-1. Until the very end, polls showed Claytie leading big, often by double digits. Claytie was new to politics, and made a series of gaffes and had several controversies, including being accused of having frequented brothels as an undergraduate. But he soldiered on, and his colorful style and conservative campaign appealed to many Texans. Richards was a strong candidate, declaring herself a sensible progressive and she came close to winning. The race was called 'Claytie vs The Lady', and it became a good fight. Richards attacked Claytie for his privileged millionaire status and cowboy image, and ran as a populist. Her sharp tongue, which she had used at the 1988 DNC, was used against Claytie too. Claytie spent freely from his personal fortune, running a 'Good Old Boy' campaign appealing to conservatives. That was a good play in Texas. However, despite the odds, the race was neck in neck on Election Day. But when the results came in, Claytie pulled it off."-Claytie: The Life of a Wildcatter Governor by Mike Cochran

The new Republican Governor of Texas, Clayton 'Claytie' Williams
CLAYTON WILLIAMS WINS TEXAS GOVERNOR RACE, 2ND REPUBLICAN TO GOVERN TEAXS SINCE RECONSTRUCTION-New York Times, 7 November, 1990
1990 Texas gubernatorial election
Clayton Williams-Republican: 48.81%
Ann Richards-Democratic: 48.17%
Jeff Daiell-Libertarian: 3.02%
"The Bush family tried for a comeback in 1994. Jeb Bush made a good run for the Florida governorship, but it came to naught. Despite a national Republican wave, Jeb Bush lost in Florida, and so did, at least for now, the Bush family's hopes of a political comeback"-New York Times, 9 November, 1994
1994 Florida gubernatorial election
Lawton Chiles-Democratic: 50.8%
Jeb Bush-Republican: 49.2%
CLAYTON WILLIAMS RE-ELECTED AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
"In 1998, Bush able to run to replace Clayton Williams as Governor of Texas, after he declined to run for a third term. Bush won the race relatively easily and was elected as Governor of Texas. Unfortunately for the Bushes, that was far too late for a 2000 presidential run. Bush's presidential ambitions would have to wait."-W Bush: A Biography by Karen Hughes
1998 Texas gubernatorial election
George W Bush-Republican: 56.01%
Jim Mattox-Democratic: 43.38%
"Following Dole's loss in 1996, it was an open field for 2000. There was, unlike any Republican presidential primary in decades, no dominant frontrunner. With a wide crop of candidates following the Republican Party's 1994 wins, it created the biggest primary field in the history of the Republican Party. At its height it spanned 17 candidates, and from that open field, one underdog would come to lead the Republican Party, and America, into the 21st century."-Bridge to the 21st Century: The Story of the 2000 Election by James W Ceaser and Andrew E Busch
Top