Presidential Elections and Primaries in Texas, 1848-2012
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Elections Until the election of 1948, Texas ballots did not list the presidential candidates by name but instead listed the electors for each party. Since the individual electors’ vote totals varied slightly, given here is the highest vote received by any elector for a candidate.
An asterisk (*) designates the winner of the national election.
In the 1860 vote that elected Lincoln president, electors for neither Lincoln nor Stephen Douglas were on the Texas ballot. Texas did not take part in the 1864 and 1868 elections because of the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Presidential primaries, which began in Texas in 1976, follow at the end.
Election, 1848
Lewis Cass (Democrat)......................................8,801
*Zachary Taylor (Whig).......................................3,777
Total Vote...................................12,578
Election, 1852
*Franklin Pierce (Democrat).............................11,519
Winfield Scott (Whig)..........................................4,187
Total Vote...................................15,706
Election, 1856
*James C. Buchanan (Democrat).....................32,460
Millard Fillmore (Whig)......................................15,472
Total Vote...................................47,932
Election, 1860
John C. Breckinridge (Democrat).....................47,887
John Bell (Constitutional Union).......................15,527
Total Vote...................................63,414
CIVIL WAR and RECONSTRUCTION
Election, 1872
Horace Greeley (Democrat).............................66,435
*Ulysses S. Grant (Republican)........................47,426
Charles O’Conor (Labor-Reform).......................2,580
Total Vote.................................116,441
Election, 1876
Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat)..........................104,755
*Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican)..................44,800
Total Vote.................................149,555
Election, 1880
Winfield S. Hancock (Democrat)....................156,428
*James A. Garfield (Republican)......................57,893
James B. Weaver (Greenback)........................27,405
Total Vote.................................241,726
Election, 1884
*Grover Cleveland (Democrat).......................225,309
James G. Blaine (Republican)..........................93,141
John P. St. John (Prohibitionist)..........................3,534
Benjamin F. Butler (Greenback).........................3,321
Total Vote.................................325,305
Election, 1888
Grover Cleveland (Democrat).........................234,883
*Benjamin Harrison (Republican).....................88,422
Alson J. Streeter (Union Labor)........................29,459
Clinton B. Fisk (Prohibitionist)............................4,749
Total Vote.................................357,513
Election, 1892
*Grover Cleveland (Democrat).......................239,148
James B. Weaver (Populist).............................99,688
Benjamin Harrison (Republican).......................77,478
John Bidwell (Prohibitionist)...............................2,165
Unknown.............................................................3,968
Total Vote.................................422,447
Election, 1896
William J. Bryan (Democrat)...........................284,298
William J. Bryan (Populist)................................76,926
*William McKinley (Republican)......................158,894
John McA. Palmer (National Democrat).............4,853
Joshua Levering (Prohibitionist).........................1,722
Total Vote.................................526,693
Election, 1900
William J. Bryan (Democrat)...........................267,432
*William McKinley (Republican)......................130,641
Wharton Barker (Populist)................................20,981
John G. Woolley (Prohibitionist).........................2,644
Eugene V. Debs (Socialist).................................1,846
Joseph F. Malloney (Socialist Labor).....................162
Total Vote..............................423,706**
**POLL TAX instituted as requirement for voting, December 1902
Election, 1904
Alton B. Parker (Democrat)............................199,799
*Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)..................65,823
Thomas E. Watson (Populist).............................8,062
Silas C. Swallow (Prohibitionist).........................4,292
Eugene V. Debs (Socialist).................................2,791
Charles H. Corregan (Socialist Labor)...................421
Total Vote..............................281,188**
Election, 1908
William J. Bryan (Democrat)...........................224,110
*William H. Taft (Republican)............................70,458
Eugene V. Debs (Socialist).................................7,870
Eugene W. Chafin (Prohibitionist).......................1,634
Thomas E. Watson (Populist)................................994
August Gillhaus (Socialist Labor)..........................176
Thomas L. Hisgen (Independence League)..........115
Total Vote.................................305,357
Election, 1912
*Woodrow Wilson (Democrat)........................219,489
William H. Taft (Republican).............................28,530
Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive)...................26,745
Eugene V. Debs (Socialist)...............................24,896
Eugene W. Chafin (Prohibitionist).......................1,698
Arthur E. Reimer (Socialist Labor).........................420
Total Vote.................................301,778
Election, 1916
*Woodrow Wilson (Democrat)........................286,514
Charles E. Hughes (Republican)......................64,999
Allan L. Benson (Socialist)................................18,969
J. Frank Hanly (Prohibitionist)............................1,985
Total Vote.................................372,467
Election, 1920
James M. Cox (Democrat)..............................288,767
*Warren G. Harding (Republican)...................114,538
James E. Ferguson (American)........................47,968
(Black and Tan Republican)..............................27,247
Eugene V. Debs (Socialist).................................8,121
Total Vote.................................486,641
Election, 1924
John W. Davis (Democrat)..............................486,777
*Calvin Coolidge (Republican)........................130,794
Robert M. LaFollette (Progressive)...................42,882
Total Vote.................................660,453
Election, 1928
*Herbert C. Hoover (Republican)....................367,036
Alfred E. Smith (Democrat).............................341,032
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)..............................722
William Z. Foster (Communist)..............................209
Total Vote.................................708,999
Election, 1932
*Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat).................760,348
Herbert C. Hoover (Republican).......................97,959
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)...........................4,450
W.H. Harvey (Liberty)............................................324
William Z. Foster (Communist)..............................207
(Jacksonian)..........................................................104
Total Vote.................................863,392
Election, 1936
*Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat).................734,485
Alfred M. Landon (Republican).......................103,874
William Lemke (Union).......................................3,281
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)...........................1,075
D. Leigh Colvin (Prohibitionist)..............................514
Earl R. Browder (Communist)................................253
Total Vote.................................843,482
Election, 1940
*Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat).................840,151
Wendell L. Willkie (Republican)......................199,152
Roger W. Babson (Prohibitionist)..........................925
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)..............................728
Earl R. Browder (Communist)................................212
Total Vote..............................1,041,168
Election, 1944
*Franklin D. Roosevlet (Democrat).................821,605
Thomas E. Dewey (Republican).....................191,425
‡(Texas Regulars)..........................................135,439
Claude A. Watson (Prohibitionist).......................1,017
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)..............................594
Gerald L.K. Smith (America First)..........................251
Total Vote..............................1,150,331
‡ Uninstructed electors.
Election, 1948
*Harry S Truman (Democrat)..........................750,700
Thomas E. Dewey (Republican).....................282,240
J. Strom Thurmond (States Rights)................106,909
Henry A. Wallace (Progressive)..........................3,764
Claude A. Watson (Prohibitionist).......................2,758
Norman M. Thomas (Socialist)..............................874
Total Vote............................1,147,245**
**Figures for 1948 represent the official tablulation. Thirty-seven counties did not report
on the presidential race within the time prescribed by law.
Election, 1952
*Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)......... 1,102,878
Adlai E. Stevenson (Democrat)......................969,228
Stuart Hamblen (Prohibitionist)...........................1,983
Douglas MacArthur (Christian National)................833
Douglas MacArthur (Constitution).........................730
Vincent Hallinan (Progressive)..............................294
Total Vote..............................2,075,946
Election, 1956
*Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)......... 1,080,619
Adlai E. Stevenson (Democrat)......................859,958
T. Coleman Andrews (Constitution)................. 14,591
Total Vote..............................1,955,168
Election, 1960
*John F. Kennedy (Democrat).................... 1,167,932
Richard M. Nixon (Republican)...................1,121,699
Charles L. Sullivan (Constitution).....................18,169
Rutherford L. Decker (Prohibitionist)..................3,870
Total Vote..............................2,311,670
Election, 1964
*Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat)................1,663,185
Barry Goldwater (Republican)........................958,566
Joseph B. Lightburn (Conservative)...................5,060
Total Vote..............................2,626,811
Election, 1968
Hubert H. Humphrey (Democrat)................ 1,266,804
*Richard M. Nixon (Republican)................. 1,227,844
George C. Wallace (American).......................584,269
Write-in..................................................................489
Total Vote..............................3,079,406
Election, 1972
*Richard M. Nixon (Republican)................. 2,298,896
George McGovern (Democrat)................... 1,154,289
Linda Jenness (Socialist)....................................8,664
John G. Schmitz (American)...............................6,039
Other...................................................................3,393
Total Vote..............................3,471,281
Election, 1976
*Jimmy Carter (Democrat)..........................2,082,319
Gerald R. Ford (Republican)...................... 1,953,300
Eugene J. McCarthy (Independent)..................20,118
Thomas J. Anderson (American)......................11,442
Peter Camejo (Socialst Worker).........................1,723
Write-in...............................................................2,982
Total Vote..............................4,071,884
Election, 1980
*Ronald Reagan (Republican).................... 2,510,705
Jimmy Carter (Democrat)........................... 1,881,147
John Anderson (Independent).........................111,613
Ed Clark (Libertarian).......................................37,643
Write-in..................................................................529
Total Vote..............................4,541,637
Election, 1984
*Ronald Reagan (Republican).................... 3,433,428
Walter Mondale (Democrat)....................... 1,949,276
Lyndon Larouche (Independent)......................14,613
Other......................................................................254
Total Vote..............................5,397,571
Election, 1988
*George Bush (Republican)........................ 3,036,829
Michael S. Dukakis (Democrat).................. 2,352,748
Ron Paul (Libertarian)......................................30,355
Other...................................................................7,478
Total Vote..............................5,427,410
Election, 1992
George Bush (Republican)......................... 2,496,071
*Bill Clinton (Democrat).............................. 2,281,815
Ross Perot (Independent).......................... 1,354,781
Andre Marrou (Libertarian)...............................19,699
Other...................................................................1,652
Total Vote..............................6,154,018
Election, 1996
Bob Dole (Republican)............................... 2,736,167
*Bill Clinton (Democrat).............................. 2,459,683
Ross Perot (Independent).............................. 378,537
Harry Browne (Libertarian)...............................20,256
Howard Phillips (U.S. Taxpayers).......................7,472
Ralph Nader (Write-In).......................................4,810
John Hagelin (Natural Law)................................4,422
Mary Cal Hollis (Write-In)......................................297
Total Vote..............................5,611,644
Election, 2000
*George W. Bush (Republican)..................3,799,639
Al Gore (Democrat)....................................2,433,746
Ralph Nader (Green)......................................137,994
Harry Browne (Libertarian)...............................23,160
Pat Buchanan (Independent)............................12,394
Howard Phillips (Write-In)......................................567
James (Jim) Wright (Write-In)..................................74
David McReynolds (Write-In)...................................63
Total Vote..............................6,407,637
Election, 2004
*George W. Bush (Republican).................. 4,526,917
John F. Kerry (Democrat)........................... 2,832,704
Michael Badnarik (Libertarian)..........................38,787
Ralph Nader (Write-In).......................................9,159
Michael Anthony Peroutka (Write-In)..................1,636
David Keith Cobb (Write-In)................................1,014
Andrew J. Falk (Write-In).......................................219
John Joseph Kennedy (Write-In)...........................126
Walt Brown (Write-In).............................................111
Deborah Elaine Allen (Write-In)...............................92
Total Vote..............................7,410,765
Election, 2008
John McCain (Republican)..........................4,479,328
*Barack Obama (Democrat)........................3,528,633
Bob Barr (Libertarian).......................................56,116
Ralph Nader (Write-In).......................................5,214
Chuck Baldwin (Write-In)....................................5,052
Brian Moore (Write-In)...........................................910
Alan Keyes (Write-In)............................................895
Thaddaus Hill (Write-In).........................................876
Cynthia McKinney (Write-In)..................................671
Jonathan Allen (Write-In).......................................100
Total vote.............................8,077,795
Election, 2012
Mitt Romney (Republican)..........................4,569,843
*Barack Obama (Democrat)......................3,308,124
Gary Johnson (Libertarian).............................88,580
Jull Stein (Green)..............................................24,657
Stewart Alexander (Write-In)...............................162
Rocky Anderson (Write-In).................................426
Avery Ayers (Write-In)........................................209
Andre N. Barnett (Write-In)...................................87
Virgil Goode (Write-In)......................................1,287
Tom Hoefling (Write-In).........................................374
Thaddaus Hill (Write-In).......................................102
Total vote.............................7,993,851
Presidential Primaries in Texas
May 1976
(The first year presidential primaries were held in the state.)
Republican
Ronald Reagan...............................................278,300
Gerald Ford....................................................139,944
Uncommitted......................................................1,162
Total Vote.................................419,406
Democratic
Jimmy Carter..................................................736,161
Lloyd Bentsen.................................................343,032
George Wallace..............................................270,798
Fred Harris........................................................31,379
Sargent Shriver.................................................28,520
Ellen McCormack...............................................5,700
Uncommitted..................................................129,478
Total Vote..............................1,545,068
May 1980
Republican
Ronald Reagan...............................................268,798
George Bush..................................................249,819
Uncommitted......................................................8,152
Total Vote.................................526,769
Democratic
Jimmy Carter..................................................770,390
Edward M. Kennedy.......................................314,129
Jerry Brown......................................................35,585
Uncommitted..................................................257,250
Total Vote..............................1,377,354
March 1984
Republican
Ronald Reagan...............................................308,713
Uncommitted....................................................11,126
Total Vote.................................319,839
Democratic
Democrats held no primary, but voted in precinct caucuses for 169 delegates. With the addition of party leaders, the 200-member delegation to the national convention was divided:
Walter Mondale.....................................................119
Gary Hart.................................................................41
Jesse L. Jackson.....................................................35
Uncommitted.............................................................5
March 1988
Republican
George Bush..................................................648,178
Pat Robertson.................................................155,449
Bob Dole.........................................................140,795
Jack Kemp........................................................50,586
Pete Du Pont......................................................4,245
Alexander M. Haig Jr..........................................3,140
Uncommitted....................................................12,563
Total Vote..............................1,014,956
Democratic
Michael S. Dukakis.........................................579,713
Jesse L. Jackson............................................433,335
Al Gore...........................................................357,764
Dick Gephardt.................................................240,158
Gary Hart..........................................................82,199
Paul Simon.......................................................34,499
Bruce Babbitt....................................................11,618
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr......................................9,013
David E. Duke.....................................................8,808
W.A. Williams......................................................6,238
Norbert G. Dennerll Jr.........................................3,700
Total Vote..............................1,767,045
March 1992
Republican
George Bush..................................................556,280
Patrick J. Buchanan........................................190,572
David Duke.......................................................20,255
George A. Zimmermann.....................................1,349
Tennie Rogers.......................................................754
Uncommitted....................................................27,936
Total Vote.................................797,146
Democratic
Bill Clinton.......................................................972,235
Paul E. Tsongas..............................................285,224
Edmund G. Brown Jr......................................118,869
Charles Woods.................................................30,097
Bob Kerrey........................................................20,298
Tom Harkin.......................................................19,618
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr....................................12,220
George W. Benns...............................................7,876
Rufus Higginbotham...........................................7,677
Tod Howard Hawks.............................................4,924
J. Louis McAlpine...............................................4,009
Total Vote..............................1,483,047
March 1996
Republican
Bob Dole.........................................................567,164
Patrick J. (Pat) Buchanan...............................217,974
Steve Forbes..................................................130,938
Alan Keyes.......................................................41,746
Lamar Alexander..............................................18,745
Phil Gramm.......................................................18,629
Richard G. Lugar................................................2,266
Susan Ducey......................................................1,093
Mary (France) LeTulle...........................................650
Charles E. Collins..................................................633
Morry Taylor...........................................................458
Uncommitted....................................................19,507
Total Vote..............................1,019,803
Democratic
Bill Clinton.......................................................796,041
Fred Hudson.....................................................32,232
Heather Harder.................................................28,772
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr....................................28,137
Ted L. Gunderson.............................................15,550
Elvena E. Lloyd-Duffie......................................10,876
Sal Casamassima...............................................9,648
Total Vote.................................921,256
March 2000
Republican
George W. Bush.............................................986,416
John McCain.....................................................80,082
Alan Keyes.......................................................43,518
Steve Forbes......................................................2,865
Gary Bauer.........................................................2,189
Orrin G. Hatch....................................................1,324
Charles Bass Urban..............................................793
Uncommitted......................................................9,570
Total Vote..............................1,126,757
Democratic
All Gore...........................................................631,428
Bill Bradley......................................................128,564
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr....................................26,898
Total Vote.................................786,890
March 2004
Republican
George W. Bush.............................................635,948
Uncommitted....................................................51,667
Total Vote...........................................687,615
Democratic
John F. Kerry..................................................563,237
John Edwards.................................................120,413
Howard Dean....................................................40,035
Al Sharpton.......................................................31,020
Joe Lieberman..................................................25,245
Wesley K. Clark................................................18,437
Dennis J. Kucinich............................................15,475
Dick Gephardt...................................................12,160
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr......................................6,871
Randy Crow........................................................6,338
Total Vote.................................839,231
March 2008
Republican
John McCain...................................................697,767
Mike Huckabee...............................................518,002
Ron Paul...........................................................66,360
Mitt Romney.....................................................27,264
Fred Thompson................................................11,503
Alan Keyes.........................................................8,260
Duncan Hunter...................................................8,222
Rudy Giuliani......................................................6,038
Hugh Cort..............................................................728
Hoa Tran................................................................604
Uncommitted....................................................17,574
Total vote.............................1,362,322
Democratic
Hillary Clinton..............................................1,462,734
Barack Obama.............................................1,362,476
John Edwards...................................................29,936
Bill Richardson..................................................10,773
Joe Biden............................................................5,290
Christopher J. Dodd............................................3,777
Total vote...............................2,874,986
May 2012
Republican
Mitt Romney...................................................901,387
Ron Paul........................................................174,207
Rick Santorum................................................115,584
Newt Gingrich....................................................68,247
Michele Bachmann...........................................12,097
Jon Huntsman...................................................8,695
Charles "Buddy" Roemer...................................4,714
John Davis.........................................................3,887
Uncommitted.....................................................60,659
Total vote.............................1,349,477
Democratic
Barack Obama.............................................452.367
John Wolfe.......................................................29,879
Darcy G. Richardson......................................93,464
Bob Ely............................................................14,445
Total vote...............................590,164
