# 1946 Texas gubernatorial election

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Government :
vte :
The 1946 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1946.
Incumbent Democratic Governor Coke R. Stevenson did not seek re-election.
Democratic Governor nominee Beauford H. Jester defeated Republican nominee Eugene Nolte, Jr. with 91.23% of the vote.
To date, this was the last election in which a candidate for Governor of Texas won more than 90% of the vote.

## Nominations
### Democratic primary

The Democratic primary election was held on July 27, 1946, with the runoff held on August 24, 1946.

#### Candidates

* Floyd Brinkley
* William V. Brown, mayor of Texarkana
* A. J. Burks, mayor of Odessa
* Charles B. Hutchison
* Beauford H. Jester, Railroad Commissioner
* Caso March, former Baylor University law professor, World War II veteran
* Walter Scott McNutt, president of Jefferson College and independent candidate for Governor of Arkansas in 1938 and 1940
* Homer P. Rainey, former President of the University of Texas
* Jerry Sadler, former Railroad Commissioner
* Grover Sellers, incumbent Texas Attorney General
* C. R. Shaw
* John Lee Smith, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
* Reese Turner, former State Representative

#### Withdrew

* W. J. Minton, newspaper editor and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Governor in 1944

#### Declined

* James V. Allred, former Governor
* W. Lee O'Daniel, incumbent U.S. Senator
* Coke R. Stevenson, incumbent Governor

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Beauford H. Jester | 448,304 | 38.15 |
| | Democratic | Homer P. Rainey | 291,282 | 25.04 |
| | Democratic | Grover Sellers | 162,431 | 13.96 |
| | Democratic | Jerry Sadler | 103,120 | 8.87 |
| | Democratic | John Lee Smith | 102,941 | 8.85 |
| | Democratic | Caso March | 20,529 | 1.76 |
| | Democratic | C. R. Shaw | 9,764 | 0.84 |
| | Democratic | Reese Turner | 4,912 | 0.42 |
| | Democratic | A. J. Burks | 4,881 | 0.42 |
| | Democratic | Charles B. Hutchison | 4,616 | 0.40 |
| | Democratic | Walter S. McNutt | 4,353 | 0.37 |
| | Democratic | Floyd Brinkley | 4,249 | 0.37 |
| | Democratic | William V. Brown | 3,902 | 0.34 |
| | Democratic | W. J. Minton (withdrawn) | 2,398 | 0.21 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,163,184 | 100.00 |
Democratic runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Beauford H. Jester | 701,018 | 66.34 |
| | Democratic | Homer P. Rainey | 355,654 | 33.68 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,056,672 | 100.00 |

### Republican nomination

The Republican state convention was held on August 13, 1946 at Mineral Wells.

#### Candidates

* Alvin H. Lane, attorney
* Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr., alcohol distributor

#### Results

Republican convention results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eugene Nolte, Jr. | 178 | 54.27 |
| | Republican | Alvin H. Lane | 150 | 45.73 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 328 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

* Beauford H. Jester, Democratic
* Eugene Nolte, Jr., Republican

### Results

1946 Texas gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Beauford H. Jester | 345,513 | 91.23% |
| | Republican | Eugene Nolte, Jr. | 33,231 | 8.77% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312,282 | 82.46% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 378,744 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | |