ABSTRACT
The outlook of Texas politics was changed greatly in 1968 when both Governor Connally and President Johnson announced that they would not seek reelection. In national politics the Democratic convention in Chicago nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey for president on the first ballot. Texas Republicans united in support of Richard Nixon. Republican Ronald Reagan in his campaign for president in 1980 had won the vote of Texas by a large margin. Local politics felt the impact of the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement, building upon the gains of the 1950s, added momentum in the 1960s. The Texas Women's Political Caucus (TWPC), promoted greater involvement of women in politics, urging more to seek public office and to take active roles in party affairs. As the elections of 1982 approached, observers expected Governor Clements's reelection, confirming the establishment of two-party politics in Texas. The election of Mark White in 1982 brought into office a seasoned veteran of Texas politics.
