Following are the results of elections of governors since 1974. 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.
Since 1974, Texas governors serve four-year terms. That followed the 1972 amendment of the state contitution changing the term from two years.
2014
Republican Primary
Gregg Abbott | 1,222,596 | 91.48 % |
Lisa Fritsch | 59,172 | 4.42 % |
Miriam Martinez | 35,567 | 2.66 % |
Secede Kilgore | 19,039 | 1.42 % |
Total vote | 1,336,374 |
Democratic Primary
Wendy Davis | 432,595 | 78.08 % |
Reynaldo "Ray" Madrigal | 121,419 | 21.91 % |
Total vote | 554,014 |
General Election
Gregg Abbott | Rep. | 2,796,547 | 59.15 % |
Wendy Davis | Dem. | 1,835,596 | 38.83 % |
Kathie Glass | Lib. | 75,488 | 1.59 % |
Brandon Parmer | Green | 18.490 | 0.39 % |
Sarah M. Pavitt | W-I | 1,060 | 0.02 % |
Total vote | 4,727,181 |
2010
Republican Primary
Rick Perry | 759,296 | 51.15 % |
Kay Bailey Hutchison | 450,087 | 30.32 % |
Debra Medina | 275,159 | 18.53 % |
Total vote | 1,484,542 |
Democratic Primary
Bill White | 517,487 | 76.04 % |
Farouk Shami | 87,411 | 12.84 % |
Felix Rodriguez Alvarado | 33,714 | 4.95 % |
Alma Ludivina Aguado | 19,273 | 2.83 % |
Clement E. Glenn | 9,836 | 1.45 % |
Bill Dear | 6,551 | 0.96 % |
Star Locke | 6,276 | 0.92 % |
Total vote | 680,548 |
General Election
Rick Perry | Rep. | 2,737,481 | 54.97 % |
Bill White | Dem. | 2,106,395 | 42.30 % |
Kathie Glass | Lib. | 109,211 | 2.19 % |
Deb Shafto | Green | 19,516 | 0.39 % |
Andy Barron | W-I | 7,267 | 0.15 % |
Total vote | 4,979,870 |
2006
Republican Primary
Rick Perry | 552,545 | 84.24 % |
Larry Kilgore | 50,119 | 7.64 % |
Rhett R. Smith | 30,225 | 4.61 % |
Star Locke | 23,030 | 3.51 % |
Total vote | 655,919 |
Democratic Primary
Chris Bell | 324,869 | 63.87 % |
Bob Gammage | 145,081 | 28.53 % |
Rashad Jafer | 38,652 | 7.60 % |
Total vote | 508,602 |
General Election
Rick Perry | Rep. | 1,716,792 | 39.03 % |
Chris Bell | Dem. | 1,310,337 | 29.79 % |
Carole Keeton Strayhorn | Ind. | 796,851 | 18.11 % |
Richard "Kinky" Friedman | Ind. | 547,674 | 12.45 % |
James Werner | Lib. | 26,749 | 0.61 % |
James "Patriot" Dillon | W-I | 713 | 0.02 % |
Total vote | 4,399,116 |
2002
Republican Primary
Rick Perry (unopposed) | 620,463 | 100.00% |
Total vote | 620,463 |
Democratic Primary
Tony Sanchez | 609,383 | 60.73 % |
Dan Morales | 330,873 | 32.98 % |
Bill Lyon | 43,011 | 4.29 % |
John Worldpeace | 20,121 | 2.01 % |
Total vote | 1,003,388 |
General Election
Rick Perry | Rep. | 2,632,591 | 57.81 % |
Tony Sanchez | Dem. | 1,819,798 | 39.96 % |
Jeff Daiell | Lib. | 66,720 | 1.47 % |
Rahul Mahajan | Green | 32,187 | 0.71 % |
Elaine Eure Henderson | W-I | 1,715 | 0.04 % |
Earl W. "Bill" O'Neil | W-I | 976 | 0.02 % |
Total vote | 4,553,987 |
1998
Republican Primary
George W. Bush | 576,528 | 96.60 % |
R.C. Crawford | 20,311 | 3.40 % |
Total vote | 596,839 |
Democratic Primary
Garry Mauro (unopposed) | 492,419 | 100.00 % |
Total vote | 492,419 |
General Election
George W. Bush | Rep. | 2,550,821 | 68.24 % |
Garry Mauro | Dem. | 1,165,592 | 31.18 % |
Lester R. Turlington Jr. | Lib. | 20,711 | 0.55 % |
Susan Lee Solar | W-I | 954 | 0.03 % |
3,738,078 |
1994
Republican Primary
George W. Bush | 520,130 | 93.32 % |
Ray Hollis | 37,210 | 6.68 % |
Total vote | 557,340 |
Democratic Primary
Ann W. Richards | 806,597 | 77.79 % |
Gary Espinosa | 230,310 | 22.21 % |
1,036,907 |
General Election
George W. Bush | Rep. | 2,350,994 | 53.48 % |
Ann W. Richards | Dem. | 2,016,928 | 45.88 % |
Keary Ehlers | Lib. | 28,320 | 0.64 % |
Total vote | 4,396,242 |
1990
Republican Primary
Clayton Williams | 520,014 | 60.80 % |
Kent Hance | 132,142 | 15.45 % |
Tom Luce | 115,835 | 13.54 % |
Jack Rains | 82,461 | 9.64 % |
W.N. Otwell | 2,310 | 0.27 % |
Royce X. Owens | 1,392 | 0.16 % |
Ed Cude | 1,077 | 0.13 % |
Total vote | 855,231 |
Democratic Primary
Ann W. Richards | 580,191 | 39.01 % |
Jim Mattox | 546,103 | 36.72 % |
Mark White | 288,161 | 19.38 % |
Theresa Hearn-Haynes | 31,395 | 2.11 % |
Earl Holmes | 17,904 | 1.20 % |
Stanley Adams | 16,118 | 1.08 % |
Ray Rachal | 9,388 | 0.63 % |
Total vote | 1,487,280 |
Democratic Runoff
Ann W. Richards | 640,995 | 57.09 % |
Jim Mattox | 481,739 | 42.91 % |
Total vote | 1,122,734 |
General Election
Ann W. Richards | Dem. | 1,925,670 | 49.47 % |
Clayton Williams | Rep. | 1,826,431 | 46.92 % |
Jeff Daiell | Lib. | 129,128 | 3.32 % |
Others | 11,517 | ||
Total vote | 3,892,746 |
1986
Republican Primary
William P. Clements Jr. | 318,808 | 58.53 % |
Tom Loeffler | 117,673 | 21.60 % |
Kent Hance | 108,238 | 19.87 % |
Total vote | 544,719 |
Democratic Primary
Mark White | 589,536 | 53.76 % |
Andrew C. Briscoe III | 248,850 | 22.69 % |
A. Don Crowder | 120,999 | 11.03 % |
Bobby Locke | 58,936 | 5.37 % |
Sheila Bilyeu | 39,370 | 3.59 % |
Ron Slover | 38,861 | 3.54 % |
Total vote | 1,096,552 |
General Election
William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,813,779 | 52.70 % |
Mark White | Dem. | 1,584,515 | 46.04 % |
Theresa Doyle | Lib. | 42,496 | 1.23 % |
Others | 670 | ||
Total vote | 3,441,460 |
1982
Republican Primary
William P. Clements Jr. | 246,120 | 92.58 % |
Duke Embs | 19,731 | 7.42 % |
Total vote | 265,851 |
Democratic Primary
Mark White | 592,658 | 44.94 % |
Buddy Temple | 402,693 | 30.54 % |
Bob Armstrong | 262,189 | 19.88 % |
David L. Young | 25,386 | 1.93 % |
Ray Allen Mayo | 20,088 | 1.52 % |
Donald R. Beagle | 15,649 | 1.19 % |
Total vote | 1,318,663 |
(White was declared winner of the race after Temple declined to participate in a runoff.)
General Election
Mark White | Dem. | 1,697,870 | 53.21 % |
William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,465,937 | 45.94 % |
David Hutzelman | Lib. | 19,143 | 0.60 % |
Bob Poteet | Constitution | 8,065 | 0.25 % |
Others | 76 | ||
Total vote | 3,191,091 |
1978
Republican Primary
William P. Clements Jr. | 115,345 | 72.82 % |
Ray Hutchison | 38,268 | 24.16 % |
Clarence Thompson | 4,790 | 3.02 % |
Total vote | 158,403 |
Democratic Primary
John Hill | 932,345 | 51.43 % |
Dolph Briscoe | 753,309 | 41.55 % |
Preston Smith | 92,202 | 5.09 % |
Ray Allen Mayo | 20,249 | 1.12 % |
Donald R. Beagle | 14,791 | 0.82 % |
Total vote | 1,812,896 |
General Election
William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,183,828 | 49.96 % |
John Hill | Dem. | 1,166,919 | 49.24 % |
Mario C. Compean | La Raza Unida | 14,213 | 0.60 % |
Sara Jean Johnston | Socialist Workers | 4,624 | 0.20 % |
Others | 115 | ||
Total vote | 2,369,699 |
1974
Republican Primary
Jim Granberry | 53,617 | 77.59 % |
Odell McBrayer | 15,484 | 22.41 % |
Total vote | 69,101 |
Democratic Primary
Dolph Briscoe | 1,025,632 | 67.42 % |
Frances Farenthold | 437,287 | 28.74 % |
W.H. Posey | 31,498 | 2.07 % |
Steve S. Alexander | 26,889 | 1.77 % |
Total vote | 1,521,306 |
General Election
Dolph Briscoe | Dem. | 1,016,334 | 61.41 % |
Jim Granberry | Rep. | 514,725 | 31.10 % |
Ramsey Muniz | La Raza Unida | 93,294 | 5.64 % |
S.W. McDonnell | American | 22,208 | 1.34 % |
Sherry Smith | Socialist Workers | 8,171 | 0.49 % |
Others | 251 | ||
Total vote | 1,654,984 |