Ralph Yarborough elected Govenor of Texas 1956

The Democratic primary runoff between Yarborough and the more conservative Price Daniel was extremely close: http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=296535 Let's say that Yarborough wins (some say he *did* win and was counted out). Texans were still heavily Democratic in non-presidential elections, so Yarborough presumably also wins the general election in November. What are the consequences of Texas getting its first liberal governor since James V. Allred?
 
There may be a very interesting battle between Yarborough and Lyndon Johnson for primacy in among the Texas Dems, especially if only one can be a favorite son in 1960. I'd never count Lyndon Johnson, the master wheeler-dealer / shady used car salesman, out of anything, especially since he didn't seem to be above anything. Given that, one wonders if a moderate / liberal governor would be courted by the moderate / liberal wing of the GOP after getting squeezed out by Landslide Lyndon and his crew?
 
Ralph Yarborough would have a hard time being anything more than a 'moderate' on race questions in Texas in the 50s. He wins in '56 and takes office Jan. '57.

There's rioting by crowds of pro-segregationists in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Eisenhower sending in the 101st Airborne. Early Sept. '57.

Then Sputnik is Oct. '57.

So Gov. Yarborough can tell Chamber of Commerce types, We're not going to be embarrassed like Arkansas.

--> and then Texas has the oil money to do education right.

if we ramp up education with more teachers, maybe teacher aides, smaller classes, modern middle-of-the-road science equipment updated regularly, there will be a lot less families complaining, even as we are desegregating the schools.
 

This is President Eisenhower saying that the Soviet Union has more scientists and engineers than the United States, including saying "This trend is disturbing."

He goes on to say, "The federal government can deal with only part of this difficulty, but it must and will do its part. The task is a cooperative one, federal, state, and local governments, and our entire citizenry, must all do their share."

Yes, the launch of Sputnik on Oct. 4, 1957, was a big deal.

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At :40 Eisenhower says, "My scientific advisors place this problem above all other immediate tasks of producing missiles, of developing new techniques in the armed services . . . "

Notice that he's just very matter-of-factly promoting and re-confirming the myth of a missile gap, whereas in fact the Soviets were way behind in the 1950s and it wasn't till the '70s that they caught up.
 
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