Revenge of the TX Dems: November 2nd, 1982 & the fallout

[49ersFootball]

White Campaign HQ
5:23 PM CST, Tuesday, November 2nd, 1982
Driskill Hotel, Austin, TX.

Governor-elect White declaring victory
at the Driskill Hotel in Austin.

​

COMING SOON....

It was Tuesday, November 2nd, 1982. Election Day across the Lone Star State, where 15.7 million Texans were casting their ballots in one of the nationally-watched Gubernatorial contests ever. For TX State AG Mark Wells White, Jr., (D), who was considered by many political experts a long-shot against the wealthy incumbent Governor William P. Clements, Jr., (R), who raised $13 million in his reelection campaign with heavy backing from President Reagan, VP Bush, United States Senator John Tower (R-TX), an aggressive GOTV machine by the TX GOP & many prominent national GOPers.

Despite the skepticism by political experts, analysts & others, White was confident that he could not only take on the unpopular incumbent, but defeat him on Election Day. What would happen next would have major ramifications for both political parties in the Lone Star State going forward.....

But before we go to Election Day, we have to go all the way to find out how the 1982 Election began...

 

[49ersFootball]

The Mark Wells White, Jr., Story
9:58 AM CST, October 17th, 1981
West Lake Hills, Austin, TX

​

Mark Wells White, Jr., was born on March 17th, 1940 in Henderson, TX to Mark Wells White, Sr., & Sara Elizabeth Wells. When Mark was 1 year old, the family moved to Houston, where he attended public schools in the Houston Independent School District: graduating from Lamar High School in 1958. White worked his way through Baylor University in Waco, TX, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration in 1962 & Juris Doctorate from Baylor University Law School in 1965. He was elected Lawyer of the Year by the Baylor Law Fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta, in 1977.

He married the love of his life, Linda Gale Thompson (where they met during their time at Baylor University) in November of 1966 & were the parents of 3 kids: Mark Wells White, III, Robert Andrew White & Elizabeth Marie White Russell.

White's career in public service began with an outstanding record of tasks accomplished & goals achieved. It began in 1966 when he served as an Assistant Attorney General of the Insurance, Banking & Securities Division, where he spent 3 years handling some of the first consumer protection investigations & representing state agencies in both trial & appellate cases. He also served in the 36th Infantry Division of the TX Army National Guard during this time as well.

​

Following practicing law for 4 years with the Houston law firm of Reynolds, Allen & Cook, White was appointed 74th TX Secretary of State by then-Governor Dolph Briscoe (D) & was sworn into office on January 19th, 1973, serving until October 22nd, 1977. During the nearly 5 years he served as the Lone Star State's Chief Elections Officer, White supervised the first state-supported voter registration drive, including postage-free, annually updated registration, which resulted in a record 6.3 million registered voters. He also streamlined the legal operations & making the services more responsive to the public during his tenure. White was elected president of the National Association of the Secretaries of State in 1977, this was the association's highest office---& he was elected secretary & treasurer earlier. White also improved communications between state agencies with the publication of the TX Register, & made his office more responsive to the public by installing 24-HR toll-free telephone service to answer questions on election law, bilingual voter assistance & other information.

​

Against the advice of friends, supporters & political experts, White resigned his post as TX Secretary of State on October 22nd, 1977 to run for TX State AG in the 1978 elections. Although outspent in the May 6th, 1978 Dem Primary Election against former TX House of Representatives Speaker Price Daniel, Jr., (D-Liberty), White emerged victorious & faced off against James Baker (R), who was affiliated with the Bush family of Houston, in the November General Election.... Once again, White was outspent by Baker, who had backing from National GOPers, the Bushes & many others. However, on Election Day, White won pretty handily defeating Baker by garnering 1,249,846 votes (55.13%) to Baker's 999,431 votes (44.08%) & took office as the Lone Star State's 46th State AG on January 19th, 1979, serving until January 18th, 1983.

As the Lone Star State's Chief Law Enforcement Officer, White co-chaired the Federal-State Enforcement Coordinating Committee & was a member of the Governor's Organized Crime Prevention Council. On the national level, White was elected Chairman of the Southern Conference of Attorneys General in May of 1981. During his tenure, he continued his outstanding performance in state government, winning over 98% of his cases (34,931 victories; only losing 746 contested cases), modernizing the internal operations of the office through computerization & good management, increasing the hiring of women & minorities in administrative & policy-making positions & publishing a Voluntary Student Code of Conduct, which has been adopted by school districts across TX.

By this time, he had been involved in an intense deep-seated rivalry with Governor William P. Clements (R), who in 1978, ended 104 years of Dem control of the TX Governor's Mansion. The rivalry & hostilities between White & Clements got so bad, press releases from their respective offices were launched with jabs, insults & other insulting commentary....

 

[49ersFootball]

Clements
1:23 PM CST, October 18th, 1981
TX Governor's Mansion, Austin, TX.

​

When notified that White was planning on running against him for the Governorship in the upcoming 1982 elections, Governor Clements laughed "That incompetent lawyer is running against me ? He can't raise any $$$ & is so incompetent, mediocre, & irrelevant to think he can take me on. That Hill idiot underestimated me in 1978 & I won! I will win again in 1982 against that incompetent lawyer or anyone else or dares to run against me".

Clements was boasting about the budget surplus that he pushed through despite a hostile Dem-controlled TX State Legislature standing in his way: he also managed to force major budget cuts on domestic services & programs, which alienated liberals, but excited hardcore Conservatives & business community leaders. He viewed TX has to be run like a corporation or business & he was going to make sure things were efficient. Despite some missteps along the way, his prospects for reelection in 1982 were bright....

However, things wouldn't go according to plan for Clements as he would find out...

More on him later...

 

[49ersFootball]

Hobby
4:10 PM CST, October 24th, 1981
Austin, TX.

​

Among the countless of TX Dems, who were plotting to take down Clements in 1982, there was some pressure on TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D) to take a chance & challenge the unpopular incumbent GOP Governor. Hobby, who was elected TX's 37th Lieutenant Governor in 1972 & reelected in 1974 & again in 1978, was on track to becoming the Lone Star State's longest-serving Lieutenant Governor by the end of his 3rd term by January 18th, 1983, but Hobby's family & friends were nervous about his chances considering Clements had the strong backing of President Reagan, VP Bush, the National GOP, former TX Governors Allan Shivers, John Connally & Preston Smith including several other Conservative Dems.

 

[49ersFootball]

Bentsen
5:17 PM CST, Thursday, November 3rd, 1981
Corpus Christi, TX.

​

United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) analyzed where the TX Dems went wrong badly in 1978 & 1980: ignoring Conservative Dems, Moderates & Independents including the business community by pushing too much progressive & domestic spending programs, which alienated Middle America. Realizing he was going to be heavily targeted for defeat by the Reagan White House, National GOP & TX Governor William P. Clements (R) (who was pushing for popular 2-time Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach to run against Bentsen & several other GOPers), Bentsen was more determined NOT to let the same fate happen to him & he was going to be super aggressive in coordinating with TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D) in building up a massive GOTV machine across the entire Lone Star State: getting voters out to the polls not only in the urban centers of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, but also rural Texans out to the polls as well for the upcoming 1982 Elections.

 

[49ersFootball]

Briscoe
1:10 PM CST, Wednesday, November 9th, 1981
Uvalde, TX.

​

Many TX Dems were scared at the prospect of seeing Clements winning reelection in 1982 & they had good reason to be nervous: Clements had the backing of POTUS Reagan, VP Bush, 3 former TX Governors Allan Shivers, John Connally & Preston Smith including 4 former TX State AG's Gerald Mann, John Ben Shepperd, Will Wilson & Waggoner Carr (Shivers, Smith, Mann, Shepperd & Carr remained Dems while Connally joined the GOP during the Summer of 1973) including many other Conservative TX Dems. In order to counter this, several TX Dems drove all the way to Uvalde to meeting with former TX Governor Dolph Briscoe (D) at the Briscoe family ranch, where they attempted to recruit him into seeking his old job in 1982.

During the 4 years since leaving the TX Governor's Mansion on January 16th, 1979, Briscoe contended that he would've beaten Clements if they had met in a head-to-head match-up. He also accurately predicted that his conservative supporters would never support the ultra-liberal then-State AG John Hill (D), who defeated Briscoe by double digits during the May 6th, 1978 Dem Primary in the gubernatorial contest. He was right: members of his family, including the family of the late TX State AG Crawford Martin (D) bolted to endorse & campaign for Clements & the rest was history: the TX Dems' 104-year dominance of the TX Governor's Mansion was broken when Hill lost the November election to the former US SECDEF.

He also blamed the unpopular former President Jerry Brown's disastrous economic & domestic policies as well as anemic foreign policy decisions as a determining factor for the backlash against the Dems not only in TX but nationally as well in general.

"I'm thinking about making a comeback, but let's see if Janey will approve of this. However, I want to know what Mark thinks about it because I know he wants to be Governor someday. It's a tough decision because I don't want to see a repeat of 1978 happen to the TX Dems again." Briscoe said.

 

[49ersFootball]

Rita
1:33 PM CST, Wednesday, November 9th, 1981
TX Governor's Mansion, Austin, TX.

​

TX First Lady Rita Crocker Clements was becoming not only one of the most well-liked TX First Ladies, but also a powerful political force & influential figure not only in the TX GOP, but the national GOP as well.

More on Rita later in the TL.

 

[49ersFootball]

ABC 8 WFAA-TV Dallas/Fort Worth Polling Survey:
1982 Election for TX Governor (October 6th to November 12th, 1981)

Who would you vote for the TX Governor's Mansion in 1982 ?

TX Governor William P. Clements, Jr., (R-incumbent): 37.6%
TX State AG Mark W. White, Jr., (D): 35.1%
Undecided: 28%

Clements (R): 46%
TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D): 27%
Undecided: 23%

Former TX Governor Dolph Briscoe (D): 56%
Clements (R): 31%

Clements (R): 44%
TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D): 36%
Undecided: 16%
Not Sure: 4%

 

[Theoretical_TJ]

Make sure you also include then-Comptroller Bob Bullock in there. He was quite a huge figure during this time. The comptroller’s office in Texas is powerful because he or she tells the legislature how much money they have to spend, and the state can’t go into debt, at least on the legislative level.

Bullock was both a bully and a major reformer who would totally be making noise in this world. He’s the last of the Sam Rayburn-LBJ Giant Texas Democratic Personalities.

 

[49ersFootball]

Make sure you also include then-Comptroller Bob Bullock in there. He was quite a huge figure during this time. The comptroller’s office in Texas is powerful because he or she tells the legislature how much money they have to spend, and the state can’t go into debt, at least on the legislative level.

Bullock was both a bully and a major reformer who would totally be making noise in this world. He’s the last of the Sam Rayburn-LBJ Giant Texas Democratic Personalities.

I'm doing a segment on Bullock right now.

 

[49ersFootball]

Bullock
12:44 PM CST, Monday, November 14th, 1981
San Antonio, TX.

​

Things were on the move for TX State Comptroller Robert Douglas "Bob" Bullock (D), who was gaining statewide & national acclaim for his famous "Bullock Raids" by making long series of raids on businesses who had collected state taxes from customers, but did not turn them into the State. As an outgrowth of his tax collecting efforts, the term "Bullock's Raiders" entered the TX government lexicon.

Bullock was born on July 10th, 1929 in Hillsboro, TX to the parents of Thomas Austin Bullock & Ruth Mitchell Bullock. After his father's death in 1946, Bullock & his mother moved in with his sister, Louisa & her husband, Will Bond. Attending public school in the Hillsboro Independent School District, Bullock graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1947 & continued his education at Hillsboro Junior College (now Hill College), where he received his Associate of Arts Degree (AA) in 1949, where he was also co-captain of the football team. In 1950, he married Amelia Hooks & to this union, daughter, Lindy was born in 1951 followed by son, Robert Douglas, Jr., in 1959. This marriage would end in divorce in 1978 after 28 years due to infidelities & numerous alcoholic incidents, etc. Bullock would later marry Jan Felts Teague of Austin in 1985.

In 1951, Bullock joined the United States Air Force during the height of the Korean War & served until 1954 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. Soon after being honorably discharged from the United States Air Force, Bullock then earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock & a Juris Doctorate (JD) from Baylor University (in a joint degree program) in 1958.

While a law school student at Baylor, Bullock jumped into politics by getting elected to the TX House of Representatives from District 54 in 1956 & was reelected in 1958, before resigning in October of 1959 to practice law & later served as general counsel of the TX Automobile Dealers Association in 1961. Then-Governor John Connally (D) appointed Bullock to fill a vacant seat on the TX State Historical Survey Committee (now the TX Historical Commission) in 1963, serving until 1965 when he left to practice law once again before returning to serving in state government in 1967 when he was appointed by then-TX State AG Crawford Martin (D) to head up the newly-formed Antitrust & Consumer Protection Division. On his watch, the State won an antitrust case against major US pharmaceutical manufacturers, brought suit against "bait & switch" deceptive trade practices, & filed a lawsuit against alleging price-fixing against national booksellers & distributors.

Bullock then joined the gubernatorial campaign of then 3-term TX Lieutenant Governor Preston Smith (D) in 1968, using the personal voter contact & follow-up practices he perfected in his own legislative contests to help Smith win. He served as General Counsel & Appointments Advisor to Governor Smith, who then appointed Bullock as TX's 72nd Secretary of State, serving from September 1st, 1971 to January 2nd, 1973. As the State's Chief Elections Officer, Bullock instituted major election law reforms including instituting the first state-financed party primaries & broadening campaign finance disclosure requirements. He opposed & successfully testified that a state law preventing students from voting where they attended college was designed to frustrate voting by minority students in majority Anglo counties. After minority groups won a lawsuit allowing Spanish-speaking voters access to translators, Bullock & Governor Smith advised State AG Martin to dismiss an appeal or they would testify against it. When Martin appealed a decision on single-member legislative districts because it would work hardships on election officials, Bullock announced it would not. He recommended purging voter rolls every 2 years & setting up a computerized voter registration system to be centralized at the TX Secretary of State's office. Bullock also pledged to lower consumer insurance rates when Governor Smith nominated him to serve as Chairman of the TX State Insurance Board. He was opposed by Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes (D) & the insurance lobby, which resulted in the TX State Senate voting against Bullock's confirmation. This setback only fueled Bullock's desire for higher office as well as getting even with his enemies in the TX State Legislature, whom he considered blocking his nomination to chair the State Insurance Board.

In 1973, long-time TX State Comptroller of Public Accounts Robert S. Calvert (D) had been engulfed in controversy when then-State Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), charging that Calvert had been discriminating against women & minorities in hiring office workers. In response to Johnson's complaint & the allegations, Calvert called Johnson a "n*****r woman who doesn't know what she's talking about." Calvert went even further: talking to reporters, he said he wouldn't hire a woman because "we wouldn't be about to send her to one of those n****r or Mexican neighborhoods."

Calvert's racially-charged response & derogatory comments even poured gasoline on the fire. Johnson, of course, took exception to the racist remarks, but Calvert's discrimination is more of a concern to her than his name-calling.

"I frankly feel that he should not be in that position," she said. "It is unfortunate that people can be elected to office with that type of attitude. But I really don't want him to smoke screen the real issue by focusing on those remarks." Johnson's complaint concerning Calvert's hiring practices brought an investigation by the EEOC, which ruled that "it is reasonable to infer that discrimination because of race is taking place in respondent's (Calvert's) hiring practices."

"I have been meeting with EEOC to see if a solution can be worked out to this problem," Johnson said. "If it can't be resolved, I will request his resignation. If he does not resign or comply with the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, I have a letter already prepared for the Governor asking him to call a special session of the legislature to implement the article of impeachment."

By then, Bullock saw an opening & launched his campaign for TX State Comptroller of Public Accounts against the 12-term octogenarian incumbent (Calvert had been in office since mid-January 1949 when he was appointed by then-Governor Beauford Jester (D) when Calvert's predecessor, George H. Sheppard (D) died in office & elected to full 2-year term in 1950 & reelected in 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970 & again in 1972).

In launching his campaign for the Lone Star State's Chief Financial post, Bullock promised to reform operations of the State Comptroller's office. He also pledged the modernize the office, making it more efficient, better serve the taxpayers, collecting more taxes efficiently & audit more aggressively. Bullock's campaign was so aggressive & gaining so much momentum..... that Calvert announced his retirement from office after 26 years. On November 5th, 1974, Bullock defeated former Vietnam Prisoner of War & US Army Colonel James N. Rowe (R): Bullock garnered 1,099,559 votes (71.61%) to Rowe's 419,657 votes (27.33%) in a largely Dem wave across the United States in the aftermath of the backlash over the Watergate Scandal & the controversial pardon of former President Richard Nixon by then-President Gerald Ford. Bullock assumed office as the 34th TX Comptroller of Public Accounts in January of 1975.

Once in office, Bullock turned the Comptroller's office from green eyeshade book-keepers into economists, accountants, & researchers using cutting-edge technology to reducing costs & improve productivity. He issued the first-ever monthly city sales tax rebates, updated payroll procedures to pay employees statewide on time, installed a toll-free taxpayer line, instituted an employee grievance program, initiated quarterly revenue estimates to lawmakers, & closed business tax loopholes. Bullock wrote the nation's first Taxpayer Bill of Rights, developed a statewide accounting system, & opened state & national audit field offices, which gained national & statewide acclaim. As noted earlier, Bullock made headlines with "Bullock Raiders" swooping down to close & sell inventory of business delinquent in remitting sales taxes. Bullock became the first statewide elected officeholder to adopting an equal opportunity program & instituted an affirmative action program, hiring & promoting record numbers of women & minorities. In 1975, Bullock became the first Southern elected statewide officeholder to endorse the federal Voting Rights Act, expanded to include protection of Latino voters.

Bullock gained a reputation as a driven, hard-drinking perfectionist, but few argued with his successes in revolutionizing the Comptroller's office with innovative, efficient, taxpayer-friendly programs & initiatives that drew national attention & national awards. Travis County grand juries in Fall 1979 & Spring 1980 considered allegations of official misconduct in record keeping & travel reporting, but did not return indictments.

However, there were some health incidents for Bullock. In 1979, Bullock was treated after a heart attack, which he said "came as a great surprise to people because they didn't think I had one." He entered treatment for alcoholism with Dr. Joseph Pursch in CA in 1981, returning in time to begin work with the Legislative Redistricting Board. Bullock was the only statewide officeholder outside the TX State Legislature with computers capable of drawing redistricting maps. He challenged the Dem "Good Ole Boy" establishment to work with Latino & African American groups, helping them draw districts that could--& did--elect more minority legislators.

 

[49ersFootball]

Linda Gale
11:43 AM CST, Tuesday, November 15th, 1981
West Lake Hills, Austin, TX.

​

Linda Gale White was the modern example of that old-fashioned word: gentlewoman. She was dependable, well-organized person, who looked for & finds the positive in both people & events. She was also an amiable, good-humored woman who has managed to balance a devotion to her family & her home with a career in real estate, volunteer service in her community & meeting the rigorous challenges of the campaign trail.

Born on June 13th, 1942 in Arkadelphia, AR. One grandfather owned a country store & was a Baptist minister; the other was a cotton & corn farmer. When Linda Gale was a baby, her parents: Robert L. & Lola Marie Thompson moved to Dallas & later to Irving, TX, where Linda Gale was raised. Her father was nearing retirement after working as manager for Wyatt's Cafeteria's after 27 years. Like her husband, Mark, Linda Gale did not grow up in affluent surroundings, but she had a secure childhood which was reflected in her self-assurance & a natural warmth with both friends & strangers.

She was a popular teenager, an "A" student, & a member of many school organizations as well as an active member of the First Baptist Church. She carried this early commitment to school, community & church activities into her adult life. Her volunteer projects have included working in the newborn infant nursery at Saint David's Hospital in Austin, as a career counselor at the Austin Women's Center helping displaced homemakers find jobs, teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation, & supporting the Austin Symphony League, the Paramount Theatre & the Austin Junior League.

Linda Gale then continued her education to Baylor University in Waco, TX., where she graduated in 1964 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. It was there that she met Mark Wells White, Jr., whom she married in November of 1966 when she was 24 & he was 26.

Her life had been full ever since; she taught vocational office education at Johnson High School in Austin & later taught high school in Houston. In the mid-1970s, she began an active career in real estate sales. Ever more important to Linda Gale than the many contributions she made as a teacher, businesswoman, supporter of the arts, & participant in civic & social organizations, was her role as a mother to the White's 3 kids: Mark Wells White, III., 12; Robert Andrew, 10 & Elizabeth Marie, 8.

 

[49ersFootball]

NBC 36 KTVV-TV Austin Polling Survey (October 12th to December 16th, 1981):

1982 TX-United States Senator
Who would you vote for the United States Senate in 1982 ?
United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX): 64%
Former US Treasury Secretary John B. Connally, Jr., (R): 13%

Bentsen (D): 57%
US Rep. Jim Collins (R-TX): 27%

Bentsen (D): 61%
US Rep. Bill Archer (R-TX): 28%

 

[49ersFootball]

I'll be doing a segment on the 1981 Southern Methodist University Mustangs Football team in this TL.

Spoiler Alert: They do NOT go for the tie during the 1982 Season & this will have possible ramifications for College Football going forward....

Stay tuned.

 

[49ersFootball]

Over in Fort Worth, TX:

​

It was close to the Thanksgiving holiday break & Governor Clements was working on strategy with several of his senior staffers. Many of whom were hesitant about their boss winning reelection due to an economic disaster that impacted many states such as TX in the aftermath of the incompetent Presidential administration of Jerry Brown; other concerns included Clements being extremely gaffe-prone making insensitive comments about political opponents, teachers, college students & other people.

Clements was not only confident in defending his achievements in office but confident in an aggressive GOTV as well as recruiting many TX GOPers for down-ballot statewide offices from Lieutenant Governor all the way to the TX Court of Criminal Appeals. Clements & the TX GOP also went on the recruiting circuit in getting people running for legislative seats in what Clements hoped was winning control of both chambers of the TX State Legislature. In his eyes, the gaffe-prone Governor was not only confident, he was determined to decimating the competition at all levels...

 

[49ersFootball]

CBS 5 KENS-TV San Antonio Polling Survey (September 30th to November 8th, 1981)

Who do you want to become the Dem nominee for TX Governor in 1982 ?
(TX Dems only)
TX State AG Mark Wells White, Jr.,: 46%
TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D): 27%
TX Railroad Commissioner Buddy Temple (D): 22%
TX Commissiner of General Land Office Bob Armstrong (D): 8%

 

[49ersFootball]

Still cooking up twists & turns in this TL.

 

[49ersFootball]

Clements
9:48 AM CST, Tuesday, November 22nd, 1981
TX State Capitol, Governor's office (2nd floor)
Austin, TX

​

Buoyed by a budget surplus & reducing the massive government bureaucracy, Governor Clements was endorsed by three of his predecessors: Allan Shivers, John Connally & Preston Smith, all of whom were elected as Dems, but all were on board with the Clements reelection campaign for 1982. Clements was also endorsed by former FLOTUS Betty Ford & former FLOTUS Happy Rockefeller as well as former US VP Linwood Holton (Due to Clements serving as US SECDEF during the Rockefeller administration). Former President Richard Nixon & his wife, former FLOTUS Pat Nixon were also on board with the Clements reelection campaign as well.

Clements was also planning on outspending whoever the TX Dems nominated to run against him next fall "Those big government tax & spend liberals think they've got me figured out ? Not a chance! I will overwhelm them with massive $$$$ on the radio & TV airwaves all over the entire state & across all 254 counties. I am unstoppable!" While Clements had several advantages: incumbency, budget surplus in 4 years, cutting the massive bureaucracy with major cuts, boosting the fortunes of the TX GOP by making it a key political force in the Lone Star State, enforcing major budget cuts on unnecessary programs & strong economic growth. However, Clements had an obvious arrogance about him, which rubbed lots of people the wrong way & many of those, who were offended by Clements' raunchy & non-PC comments, had been determined to show up at the polls next fall in sending a message.

 

[49ersFootball]

Ch. 13 KTRK-TV Houston Polling Survey (September 30th to November 21st, 1981)

1982 TX: United States Senator
United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX): 56%
US Rep. Jim Collins (R-TX): 26%

Bentsen (D): 60%
US Rep. Bill Archer (R-TX): 29%

Bentsen (D): 58%
NFL Hall of Fame QB Roger Staubauch (R): 33%

Bentsen (D): 70%
Former Houston, TX Mayor Louie Welch (R): 16%

 

[49ersFootball]

Ch. 13 KTRK-TV Houston Polling Survey (September 30th to November 21st, 1981)

1982 Election for TX Governor: Who would you vote for the TX Governor's Mansion in 1982 ?

TX Governor William P. Clements, Jr.,(R): 39.5%
TX State AG Mark W. White, Jr., (D): 36.7%

Clements (R): 51%
TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D): 31%

Clements (R): 49%
TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D): 27%

Former TX Governor Dolph Briscoe (D): 56%
Clements (R): 29%

(Down-ballot Statewide Offices)
1982: TX Lieutenant Governor:
TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D): 55%
George Strake (R): 25%

1982 TX State AG (Open):
US Rep. Jim Mattox (D-TX): 47%
Harris County Judge Jon Lindsay (R): 26%

1982 TX Comptroller of Public Accounts:
TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D): 61%
Former Houston, TX Mayor Jim McConn (R): 22%

1982 TX State Treasurer:
Travis County Commissioner Dorothy "Ann" Willis Richards (D): 64%
Unspecified GOPer: 19%

1982 TX Commissioner of the General Land Office:
Garry Mauro (D): 73%
Unspecified GOPer: 17%

1982 Commissioner of Agriculture:
Jim Hightower (D): 54%
Unspecified GOPer: 29%

1982 TX Railroad Commissioner:
TX Railroad Commissioner Jim Nugent (D): 66%
Unspecified GOPer: 13%