1878 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election

none February 2026 December 2025 ly 1878 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election Texas Presidential no 1876 1880 November 5, 1878 File:Joseph D. Sayers (cropped).jpg Joseph D. Sayers Democratic Party (United States) 158,850 68.28% File:James Spencer Rains.jpg James S. Rains Greenback Party (United States) 50,388 21.66% 3x4.svg Richard Allen Republican Party (United States) 23,001 9.89% Lieutenant Governor Vacant Democratic Party (United States) Joseph D. Sayers Democratic Party (United States) The 1878 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1878, in order to elect the lieutenant governor of Texas. Democratic nominee and former state senator Joseph D. Sayers defeated Greenback nominee and former Confederate General James S. Rains and Republican nominee and former state representative Richard Allen. Allen, a formerly enslaved person, was the first African American to run for statewide office in the state of Texas.Barr Alwyn Wintz Cary D. 1952 Richard Allen: Pioneering Black Political Leader in Texas https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/allen-richard April 10, 2026 Texas State Historical Association en General election The previous lieutenant governor, Richard B. Hubbard had ascended to the governorship following the resignation of Richard Coke, who left the office to become U. S. Senator in 1876. This shuffling of the executive had left the office vacant since December 1876 with no incumbent to run in the race. The newly formed Greenback Party, a populist agrarian party focused on monetary issues, ran their first ticket for state offices and nominated James Rains to be their nominee for lieutenant governor.Gunn Jack W. 1952 The Greenback Movement in Texas: A Historical Overview https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/greenback-party April 24, 2026 Texas State Historical Association en The leadership of the state Republican Party initially contemplated supporting the Greenback ticket instead of running their own slate of candidates and splitting the opposition vote, but a convention was held and a full ticket nominated.Winkler Ernest William https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Platforms_of_political_parties_in_Texas_%28IA_platformsofpolit00winkrich%29.pdf?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=index&utm_content=original Platforms of Political Parties in Texas September 20, 1916 University of Texas 179–193 The national questions of protective tariffs, the monetary questions of silver and greenbacks, and immigration were the focus of the campaigns. Following the end of Reconstruction in the South, the Democratic party became the dominant political party in the state. On election day, November 5, 1878, Democratic nominee Joseph D. Sayers won the election handedly. Sayers was sworn in as the 12th lieutenant governor of Texas on January 21, 1879. Candidates Joseph D. Sayers, chairman of the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee, former state senator from the 26th district (Democrat)July 26, 1878 Democratic State Ticket https://www.newspapers.com/image/68038283/ April 10, 2026 Brenham Weekly Banner Newspapers.com James S. Rains, civil war veteran (Greenback)August 9, 1878 National Greenback Convention https://www.newspapers.com/image/1277980100/ April 10, 2026 San Antonio Daily Express Newspapers.com Richard Allen, former state representative from the 14th district (Republican)November 5, 1878 Acts of Bulldozers https://www.newspapers.com/image/23834094/ April 10, 2026 The Galveston Daily News Newspapers.com Results Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1878 January 17, 1879 Journal of the Texas Senate https://lrl.texas.gov/scanned/SenateJournals/16/01171879_4_67.pdf April 10, 2026 70–77 Democratic Party (United States) Joseph D. Sayers 158,850 68.28 7.29 Greenback Party (United States) James S. Rains 50,388 21.66 N/A Republican Party (United States) Richard Allen 23,001 9.89 14.54 Scattering 408 0.18 N/A 232,647 100.00 Democratic Party (United States) References Category:1878 Texas elections Category:Texas lieutenant gubernatorial elections Category:November 1878 in the United States Category:Government of Texas