1926 Texas gubernatorial election

1926 Texas gubernatorial election

← 1924 November 2, 1926 (1926-11-02) 1928 →
Turnout	20.5% 39.5%[1]
Nominee Dan Moody H. H. Haines Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 233,002 34,819 Percentage 86.75% 12.96%
County results Moody:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Holmes:      50–60%      60–70%      No vote
Governor before election Miriam A. Ferguson Democratic Elected Governor Dan Moody Democratic

The 1926 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1926, in order to elect the Governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic Attorney general of Texas Dan Moody defeated Republican nominee H. H. Haines.^[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Lynch Davidson, former Lieutenant Governor^[3]
• Kate Miller Johnston, woman from San Antonio^[3][4]
• Ma Ferguson, incumbent Governor^[3]
• Dan Moody, incumbent Attorney General of Texas^[3]
• Edith Wilmans, former member of the Texas House of Representatives and first woman elected to the Texas legislature^[3][5]
• O. F. Zimmerman, evangelist from Morris County^[3]

The Democratic primary election was held on July 24, 1926. As no candidate won a majority of votes, there was a run-off on August 28, 1926, between the two highest ranking candidates incumbent Governor of Texas Miriam A. Ferguson and incumbent Attorney general of Texas Dan Moody. Moody would eventually win the primary with 64.69% against Ferguson.

Results

Candidate	First Round		Run-off
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Dan Moody	409,732	49.89	495,723	64.69
Miriam A. Ferguson	283,482	34.52	270,595	35.31
Lynch Davidson	122,449	14.91
O. F. Zimmerman	2,962	0.36
Edith E. Wilmans	1,580	0.19
Kate M. Johnston	1,029	0.13
Total	821,234	100.00	766,318	100.00
Source: [6]

Republican primary

After, 1924 Republican nominee George Butte's relatively strong showing, the Republican Party of Texas held its first primary. The primary was between H. H. Haines, who was backed by a faction of the party led by National Committeeman R. B. Creager and E. P. Scott, who was backed by a faction led by Congressman Harry M. Wurzbach.^[7] The Republican primary election was held on July 24, 1926. As Haines won a majority of the votes, a run-off was unnecessary.

Candidates

• Harvey H. Haines (Houston), general manager of the Houston Chamber of Commerce.^[8][9]
• Edward Preston Scott (Corpus Christi), judge.^[10][11]

Results

Candidate	Votes	%
H. H. Haines	11,215	73.35
E. P. Scott	4,074	26.65
Total	15,289	100.00
Source: [12]

General election

On election day, November 2, 1926, Democratic nominee Dan Moody won re-election by a margin of 198,183 votes against his foremost opponent Republican nominee H. H. Haines, thereby retaining Democratic control over the office of Governor. Moody was sworn in as the 30th Governor of Texas on January 18, 1927, at the age of 33, thereby making him the youngest governor in Texas history.^[13]

Results

Texas gubernatorial election, 1926

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dan Moody	233,002	86.75
	Republican	H. H. Haines	34,819	12.96
	Socialist	M. A. Smith	786	0.29
Total votes			268,607	100.00
	Democratic hold

References

1. "Texas Almanac, 1939-1940". Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
2. "Moody, Daniel James Jr". Texas State Historical Association. June 15, 2010. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
3. Barker, S. A. (April 11, 1926). "Five Democratic Candidates Oppose Governor Ferguson in Today's Texas Primaries". Greensburg Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2023-11-12 – via Google Newspapers.
4. "Six Texas Democrats Who Covet Governorship Speed Up Campaign". The Evening Independent. Vol. 14, no. 220. St. Petersburg, Florida. July 19, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-11-12 – via Google Newspapers.
5. Goldthwaite, Carmen (2012). Texas Dames: Sassy and Savvy Women Throughout Lone Star History. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-60949-812-2.
6. "TX Governor - D Primary". ourcampaigns.com. January 13, 2010. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
7. "Haines Winner of GOP Nomination". Brownsville Herald. July 25, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-11-09 – via Chronicling America: Historic Newspapers at the Library of Congress.
8. Chicago Commerce. Chicago Association of Commerce. April 1, 2022. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
9. "H. H. Haines to Visit Valley". Brownsville Herald. October 17, 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-11-09 – via Chronicling America: Historic Newspapers at the Library of Congress.
10. Brown, Norman D. (1984). Hood, Bonnet, and Little Brown Jug: Texas Politics, 1921-1928. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. p. 336. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
11. "Judge E.P. Scott, 70, Former Nominee for Governor, Dies Here". The Victoria Advocate. Vol. 31, no. 294. June 20, 1929 – via Google Newspapers.
12. "TX Governor - R Primary". ourcampaigns.com. June 20, 2011. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
13. "TX Governor". ourcampaigns.com. June 26, 2006. Retrieved 2023-05-11.