Following are the results of elections of governors from 1950 until 1972. Party primaries as well as general elections are included whenever possible although Republican totals are not available for some early primaries.
The official canvass from the Legislature, the Archives Section of the Texas State Library, and the Texas Secretary of State annual reports are used when available. Otherwise, reports from various editions of the Texas Almanac are used.
Party designations abbreviated are: Dem., Democratic; Rep., Republican; Lib., Libertarian; Ind., Independent; W-I, write-in.
Under the state Constitution of 1876, governors served two-year terms, until that was amended in 1972 to four-year terms.
1972
Democratic Primary
| Dolph Briscoe | 963,397 | 43.93 % |
| Frances Farenthold | 612,051 | 27.91 % |
| Ben Barnes | 392,356 | 17.89 % |
| Preston Smith | 190,709 | 8.70 % |
| William H. Posey | 13,727 | 0.63 % |
| Gordon F. Wills | 10,438 | 0.48 % |
| Robert E. Looney | 10,225 | 0.47 % |
| Total vote | 2,192,903 |
Democratic Runoff
| Dolph Briscoe | 1,095,168 | 55.32 % |
| Frances Farenthold | 884,594 | 44.68 % |
| Total vote | 1,979,762 |
Republican Primary
| Henry C. Grover | 37,118 | 32.56 % |
| Albert Fay | 24,329 | 21.34 % |
| David Reagan | 20,119 | 17.65 % |
| Tom McElroy | 19,559 | 17.16 % |
| John A. Hall Sr. | 8,018 | 7.03 % |
| J.A. Jenkins | 4,864 | 4.27 % |
| Total vote | 114,007 |
Republican Runoff
| Henry C. Grover | 37,842 | 66.38 % |
| Albert Fay | 19,166 | 33.62 % |
| Total vote | 57,008 |
General Election
| Dolph Briscoe | Dem. | 1,633,493 | 47.91 % |
| Henry C. Grover | Rep. | 1,533,986 | 44.99 % |
| Ramsey Muniz | La Raza Unida | 214,118 | 6.28 % |
| Deborah Leonard | Socialist Workers | 24,103 | 0.71 % |
| Others | 3,891 | ||
| Total vote | 3,409,501 |
1970
Democratic Primary
| Preston Smith (unopposed) | 1,011,300 | 100.00 % |
| Total vote | 1,011,300 |
Republican Primary
| Paul Eggers | 101,875 | 93.45 % |
| Roger Martin | 7,146 | 6.55 % |
| Total vote | 109,021 |
General Election
| Preston Smith | Dem. | 1,232,506 | 53.43 % |
| Paul Eggers | Rep. | 1,073,831 | 46.55 % |
| Others | 428 | ||
| Total vote | 2,306,765 |
1968
Democratic Primary
| Don Yarborough | 421,607 | 24.08 % |
| Preston Smith | 386,875 | 22.10 % |
| Waggoner Carr | 257,543 | 14.71 % |
| Dolph Briscoe | 225,686 | 12.89 % |
| Eugene Locke | 218,118 | 12.46 % |
| John Hill | 154,908 | 8.85 % |
| Pat O'Daniel | 47,912 | 2.74 % |
| Edward L. Whittenburg | 22,957 | 1.31 % |
| Alfonso Veloz | 9,562 | 0.55 % |
| Johnnie Mae Hackworthe | 5,484 | 0.31 % |
| Total vote | 1,750,652 |
Democratic Runoff
| Preston Smith | 767,490 | 55.27 % |
| Don Yarborough | 621,226 | 44.73 % |
| Total vote | 1,388,716 |
Republican Primary
| Paul Eggers | 65,501 | 62.52 % |
| John Trice | 28,849 | 27.54 % |
| Wallace Sisk | 10,415 | 9.94 % |
| Total vote | 104,765 |
General Election
| Preston Smith | Dem. | 1,662,019 | 56.99 % |
| Paul Eggers | Rep. | 1,254,333 | 43.01 % |
| Total vote | 2,916,352 |
1966
Democratic Primary
| John Connally | 932,641 | 74.29 % |
| Stanley C. Woods | 291,651 | 23.23 % |
| Johnnie Mae Hackworthe | 31,105 | 2.48 % |
| Others | 3 | |
| Total vote | 1,255,400 |
Republican Primary
| T.E. Kennerly (unopposed) | 49,568 | 100.00 % |
| Total vote | 49,568 |
General Election
| John Connally | Dem. | 1,037,517 | 72.76 % |
| T.E. Kennerly | Rep. | 368,025 | 25.81 % |
| Tommye Gillespie | Constituion | 10,454 | 0.73 % |
| Bard Logan | Conservative | 9,810 | 0.69 % |
| Others | 55 | ||
| Total vote | 1,425,861 |
1964
Democratic Primary
| John Connally | 1,125,884 | 69.06 % |
| Don Yarborough | 471,411 | 28.92 % |
| M.T. Banks | 22,047 | 1.35 % |
| Johnnie Mae Hackworthe | 10,995 | 0.67 % |
| Total vote | 1,630,297 |
Republican Primary
| Jack Crichton (unopposed) | 128,146 | 100.00 % |
| Total vote | 128,146 |
General Election
| John Connally | Dem. | 1,877,793 | 73.79 % |
| Jack Crichton | Rep. | 661,675 | 26.00 % |
| John C. Williams | Constitution | 5,257 | 0.21 % |
| Others | 28 | ||
| Total vote | 2,544,753 |
1962
Democratic Primary
| John Connally | 431,498 | 29.82 % |
| Don Yarborough | 317,986 | 21.97 % |
| Price Daniel | 248,524 | 17.17 % |
| Will Wilson | 171,617 | 11.86 % |
| Marshall Formby | 139,094 | 9.61 % |
| Edwin A. Walker | 138,387 | 9.56 % |
| Others | 9 | |
| Total vote | 1,447,115 |
Democratic Runoff
| John Connally | 565,174 | 51.19 % |
| Don Yarborough | 538,924 | 48.81 % |
| Total vote | 1,104,098 |
Republican Primary
| Jack Cox | 99,170 | 86.01 % |
| Roy Whittenburg | 16,136 | 13.99 % |
| Total vote | 115,306 |
General Election
| John Connally | Dem. | 847,038 | 53.98 % |
| Jack Cox | Rep. | 715,025 | 45.57 % |
| Jack Carswell | Constitution | 7,125 | 0.45 % |
| Total vote | 1,569,198 |
1960
Democratic Primary
| Price Daniel | 908,992 | 59.46 % |
| Jack Cox | 619,834 | 40.54 % |
| Others | 8 | |
| Total vote | 1,528,834 |
General Election
| Price Daniel | Dem. | 1,627,698 | 72.75 % |
| Wm.M. Steger | Rep. | 609,808 | 27.25 % |
| Total vote | 2,237,506 |
1958
Democratic Primary
| Price Daniel | 799,107 | 60.65 % |
| Henry B. Gonzalez | 246,969 | 18.75 % |
| W. Lee O'Daniel | 238,767 | 18.12 % |
| Joe A. Irwin | 33,643 | 2.55 % |
| Others | 6 | |
| Total vote | 1,317,492 |
General Election
| Price Daniel | Dem. | 695,779 | 88.09 % |
| Edwin S. Mayer | Rep. | 94,086 | 11.91 % |
| Total vote | 789,865 |
1956
Democratic Primary
| Price Daniel | 628,914 | 39.88 % |
| Ralph W. Yarborough | 463,416 | 29.39 % |
| W. Lee O'Daniel | 347,757 | 22.05 % |
| J. Evetts Haley | 88,772 | 5.63 % |
| Reuben Senterfitt | 37,774 | 2.40 % |
| J.J. Holmes | 10,165 | 0.64 % |
| Others | 72 | |
| Total vote | 1,576,870 |
Democratic Runoff
| Price Daniel | 698,001 | 50.11 % |
| Ralph W. Yarborough | 694,830 | 49.89 % |
| Total vote | 1,392,831 |
General Election
| Price Daniel | Dem. | 1,350,736 | 78.34 % |
| William R. Bryant | Rep. | 261,283 | 15.15 % |
| W. Lee O'Daniel | W-I | 110,234 | 6.39 % |
| Others | 1,838 | ||
| Total vote | 1,724,091 |
1954
Democratic Primary
| Allan Shivers | 668,913 | 49.52 % |
| Ralph W. Yarborough | 645,994 | 47.82 % |
| J.J. Holmes | 19,591 | 1.45 % |
| Arion B. "Cyclone" Davis Jr. | 16,254 | 1.20 % |
| Total vote | 1,350,752 |
Democratic Runoff
| Allan Shivers | 775,088 | 53.15 % |
| Ralph W. Yarborough | 683,132 | 46.85 % |
| Total vote | 1,458,220 |
General Election
| Allan Shivers | Dem. | 569,533 | 89.42 % |
| Tod R. Adams | Rep. | 66,154 | 10.39 % |
| Others | 1,205 | ||
| Total vote | 636,892 |
1952
Democratic Primary
| Allan Shivers | 833,861 | 61.48 % |
| Ralph W. Yarborough | 488,345 | 36.00 % |
| Allene M. Trayler | 34,186 | 2.52 % |
| Total vote | 1,356,392 |
General Election
| Allan Shivers | Dem. | 1,375,547 | 74.60 % |
| Allan Shivers | Rep. | 468,319 | 25.40 % |
| Total vote | 1,843,866 |
1950
Democratic Primary
| Allan Shivers | 829,730 | 76.36 % |
| Caso March | 195,997 | 18.04 % |
| Charles B. Hutchison | 16,048 | 1.48 % |
| Gene S. Porter | 14,728 | 1.36 % |
| J.M. Wren | 14,138 | 1.30 % |
| Benita Louise Marek Lawrence | 9,542 | 0.88 % |
| Wellington Abbey | 6,381 | 0.59 % |
| Total vote | 1,086,564 |
General Election
| Allan Shivers | Dem. | 355,010 | 89.93 % |
| Ralph W. Currie | Rep. | 39,737 | 10.07 % |
| Total vote | 394,747 |
