1855 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election

none June 2026 June 2026 ly 1855 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election Texas Presidential no 1853 1857 August 6, 1855 Hardin runnels.png Hardin Richard Runnels Democratic Party (United States) 21,073 48.7% 3x4.svg W. G. W. Jowers American 17,817 41.2% 3x4.svg Andrew Neill Democratic Party (United States) 4,360 10.1% Lieutenant Governor David Catchings Dickson Democratic Party (United States) Hardin Richard Runnels Democratic Party (United States) The 1855 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on August 6, 1855, in order to elect the lieutenant governor of Texas. The Democratic candidate, Speaker of the Texas House Hardin Richard Runnels defeated the American Party candidate, state senator William Jowers becoming the fifth lieutenant governor of the state. Runnels was the third consecutive lieutenant governor who had previously served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Background Since the 1848 presidential election, the Democratic Party had become the most prominent political organization in the state.https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/democratic-party The Evolution of the Democratic Party in Texas: A Historical Overview tshaonline.org April 22, 2026 1976 Young Nancy Beck The Texas Whig Party which had also set up a presence in the state during the previous two presidential campaigns had essentially fizzled out from lack of support.Buenger Walter L. 1976 The Rise and Fall of the Whig Party in Texas Politics https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/whig-party 2026-06-18 Texas State Historical Association en Leading up to this campaign, even though the Democrats were essentially the only party in the state it lacked a particularly organized nominating apparatus and even if candidates did identify with a political party, they often ran independent campaigns.https://www.texasalmanac.com/articles/elections-of-texas-governors-1845-2010 Elections of Texas Governors, 1845-2010 texasalmanac.com April 22, 2026 Prior to 1857 most candidates ran independently. In April 1855, the Democratic Party leadership attempted to organize a convention to nominate candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, but only delegates from twelve counties were able to attend.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 58–64 en Given the small number of delegates, the convention refused to make official nominations, but did "respectuflly suggest the reelection of the present incumbents". Starting in 1854, the Native American Party, a nativist party based on anti-catholic and anti-immigrant sentiments, saw a sudden wave of political successes. The members of the party were known as the "Know Nothings" due to semi-secret nature of the organization. While the movement was concentrated, in the North East, they had been some growth in the state and in San Antonio and Galveston saw members of the party be elected on the municipal level.Griffin Roger A. 1952 The Rise and Fall of the Know-Nothing Movement in Texas https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/american-party 2026-06-19 Texas State Historical Association en A main factor of the Know Nothings' rhetoric in the state was the growing number of German immigrants and their increasing political and cultural influence.Jordan Terry G. 1976 The German Influence in Texas: History and Cultural Impact https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/germans 2026-06-19 Texas State Historical Association en The leaders of the Texas Know Nothings saw an opportunity to build on their momentum and take control of the state from the Democratic Party, by secretly converting Democratic leadership to their cause. In a surprise convention in June 1855, they announced a full slate of candidates for congressional and statewide tickets. Leading this ticket was the incumbent lieutenant governor, David Catchings Dickson, who had secretly joined the party to challenge the incumbent governor Elisha M. Pease. For lieutenant governor, they selected state senator William Jowers as their candidate. The Democratic party was shocked by the Dickson's party swap as they had already published newspapers urging voters to support him for lieutenant governor. A "Bomb Shell" convention was quickly assembled which declared the Know Nothings Party as "an enemy of the government" and denounced anyone who was a member of a secret political faction. This convention reiterated its support for Pease in the governor's race and dropped all support for Dickson. Eventually the party coalesced around Hardin Richard Runnels, the long serving state representative who had been selected as Speaker of the House during the previous legislature, as their candidate for lieutenant governor. 1952 Andrew Neill: Lawyer, Soldier, and Texas Pioneer https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/neill-andrew 2026-06-19 Texas State Historical Association en General election On election day, Runnels won the election with almost 49% of the vote, helping maintaining the Democratic Party's control on the state government. Most of the Know Nothing support was concentrated in Central Texas near Travis County. The legislature certified the election results on November 7, 1855, and Runnels was sworn into office on December 21, 1855.https://lrl.texas.gov/scanned/SenateJournals/6/S_6_0.pdf Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas: Sixth Legislature Marshall & Oldham, State Printers 1855 Austin, TX 47 en Candidates William George Washington "W. G. W." Jowers, doctor, state senator, former state representative, veteran of the Army of the Republic of Texas, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives (American)Caraway Georgia Kemp 1952 William G. W. Jowers: Life and Legacy of a Texas State Senator https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/jowers-william-george-washington 2026-06-19 Texas State Historical Association en Andrew Neill, lawyer, militia leader, former probate judge in Mississippi (Democrat) Hardin Richard Runnels, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, plantation owner (Democrat)Harper Jr. Cecil 1952 Hardin R. Runnels: Texas Governor and Legislator https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/runnels-hardin-richard 2026-06-19 Texas State Historical Association en Results Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1855Jones Anson http://archive.org/details/cu31924028799513 Memoranda and official correspondence relating to the Republic of Texas, its history and annexation. Including a brief autobiography of the author 1859 New York : D. Appleton and Company Cornell University Library 620–621 en Democratic Party (United States) Hardin Richard Runnels 21,073 48.72 American Party W. G. W. Jowers 17,817 41.20 Democratic Party (United States) Andrew Neill 4,360 10.08 43,250 100.00 Democratic Party (United States) References Category:1855 Texas elections Category:Texas lieutenant gubernatorial elections Category:Government of Texas