1982 Texas gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1982 Texas gubernatorial election
Country:Texas
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1978 Texas gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1978
Next Election:1986 Texas gubernatorial election
Next Year:1986
Election Date:November 2, 1982
Image1:File:Governor Mark White.jpg
Nominee1:Mark White
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,697,870
Percentage1:53.2%
Nominee2:Bill Clements
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:1,465,937
Percentage2:45.9%
Map Size:310px
Governor
Before Election:Bill Clements
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Mark White
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1982 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Bill Clements ran for reelection, but was defeated in the general election by Democrat Mark White, winning 46% of the vote to White's 53%. White was sworn into office on January 18, 1983.

White carried 196 out of 254 counties. As of 2023, this is the last time a Democrat won a majority of the vote in a Texas gubernatorial election, or carried Carson, Oldham, Donley, Wheeler, Castro, Floyd, Motley, Lamb, Hockley, Terry, Cochran, Lynn, Garza, Kent, King, Gaines, Dawson, Martin, Howard, Coke, Runnels, Coleman, Brown, Callahan, Eastland, Shackelford, Stephens, Young, Jack, Erath, Hood, Somervell, Parker, Johnson, Ellis, Hunt, Franklin, Wood, Upshur, Van Zandt, Nacogdoches, Cherokee, Anderson, Freestone, Leon, Brazos, San Jacinto, Liberty, Lee, Washington, Austin, Fayette, Colorado, Wharton, Lavaca, Jackson, Matagorda, Brazoria, Goliad, Wilson, Karnes, Atascosa, Gonzales, Bell, Coryell, Bosque, Hamilton, Lampasas, Mills, San Saba, McCulloch, Concho, Llano, Burnet, Schleicher, Real, Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Reagan, Upton, Crane, Winkler, Ward, or Brewster counties.

Primaries

Candidates

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Candidates

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Temple refused to participate in the runoff, causing White to win by default.

Results

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Videos

(1) Gubernatorial Debate from September 24, 1982 in Amarillo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovfRh-Jm7Rg

(2) White Campaign commercials from October 7, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8edM7xa_Rw

(3) White Campaign commercials from October 28, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t0Nf0pXTGA

(4) White Campaign commercial from September 29, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csJN5KE74V8

(5) White Campaign commercial for the Democratic Primary on April 12, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grkwSfUxE2s

(6) White Campaign commercial for the Democratic Primary on March 6, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ptGvg1w8IU

(7) Revised commercial from March 6, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFqP9ILbSw0

(8) White Campaign commercial for the Democratic Primary on March 23, 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2M4CZIAD8w

(9) Gubernatorial Debate from October 11, 1982 in Austin http://tx.clementspapers.org/media/videos/e_cle_0014541