1990 Texas gubernatorial election
American election
The 1990 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican governor Bill Clements did not run for re-election, so the election pitted Democrat Ann Richards against Republican Clayton Williams. Richards narrowly defeated Williams on Election Day, winning 49.5% of the vote to Williams' 46.9%.
As of 2026, this is also the most recent time the Democratic candidate has carried Collingsworth, Childress, Wilbarger, Wichita, Archer, Throckmorton, Montague, Wise, Tarrant, Grayson, Lamar, Hopkins, Titus, Bowie, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, Jasper, Hardin, Angelina, Polk, Houston, Madison, Walker, Kaufman, Navarro, Henderson, Hill, McLennan, Williamson, Burleson, Waller, and Refugio counties. This is also the last time a Democrat or a woman was elected Governor of Texas, as well as the most recent Texas gubernatorial election in which both major parties' nominees have since died.
Republican primary
Candidates
Clayton Williams, Midland oil and gas businessman
Kent Hance, Railroad Commissioner, former Democratic U.S. representative from Lubbock, and candidate in 1986
Tom Luce, attorney and advisor to H. Ross Perot
Jack Rains, Houston attorney and former secretary of state (1987–1989)
W.N. Otwell
Royce Owens
Ed Cude
Declined
George W. Bush, son of President George H. W. Bush and part-owner of the Texas Rangers
T. Boone Pickens, billionaire oilman and corporate takeover specialist
T. Boone Pickens, CEO of Mesa Petroleum in Amarillo, was considered a likely candidate for much of 1989. However, on August 30, 1989, Pickens announced at a luncheon in Dallas that he would not run for the governorship in 1990. But Pickens, who also announced he would be relocating from Amarillo to Dallas, said he would consider a run for the governorship in 1994.
George W. Bush, who had just become part owner of the Texas Rangers baseball club, also declined to run for governor after briefly exploring a run for the governorship in 1990. He did so on the advice of his mother.
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