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'''Henry Cushing Grover''', often known as '''Hank Grover''' (April 1, 1927– November 28, 2005), was a [[conservative]] politician from the U.S. state of [[Texas]] best known for his relatively narrow defeat as the [[Republican Party|Republican]] gubernatorial nominee in 1972.   

 

'''Henry Cushing Grover''', often known as '''Hank Grover''' (April 1, 1927 – November 28, 2005), was a [[conservative]] politician from the U.S. state of [[Texas]] best known for his relatively narrow defeat as the [[Republican Party|Republican]] gubernatorial nominee in 1972.   

Grover was born in [[Corpus Christi]] on the Texas Gulf Coast. As a youth, he lived in [[San Antonio]].  A [[Roman Catholic]], he graduated from the college-preparatory and all-male St. Thomas High School in Houston. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] in history and political science from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and his [[Master of Arts]] in the same subjects from the University of Houston. His master's thesis focuses on [[Colonel House|Colonel Edward M. House]] of Houston, a rice broker and [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] active in the 1912 campaign to elect [[Woodrow Wilson]] as the [[U.S. President]].

Grover was born in [[Corpus Christi]] on the Texas Gulf Coast. As a youth, he lived in [[San Antonio]].  A [[Roman Catholic]], he graduated from the college-preparatory and all-male St. Thomas High School in Houston. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] in history and political science from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and his [[Master of Arts]] in the same subjects from the University of Houston. His master's thesis focuses on [[Colonel House|Colonel Edward M. House]] of Houston, a rice broker and [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] active in the 1912 campaign to elect [[Woodrow Wilson]] as the [[U.S. President]].

Grover was elected as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960, 1962, and 1964. In 1966, he switched parties and was elected to the state Senate. In the 1972 Republican gubernatorial primary, he led a field of five with 37,118 votes (32.6 percent). Houston businessman Albert Bel Fay of Houston ran second with 24,329 ballots (21.3 percent). Three other largely unknown candidates shared a surprisingly large 41.8 percent of the vote.

Grover was elected as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960, 1962, and 1964. In 1966, he switched parties and was elected to the state Senate. In the 1972 Republican gubernatorial primary, he led a field of five with 37,118 votes (32.6 percent). Houston businessman Albert Bel Fay of Houston ran second with 24,329 ballots (21.3 percent). Three other largely unknown candidates shared a surprisingly large 41.8 percent of the vote.

In an even lower turnout runoff primary, Grover defeated Fay (1913–1992), the Republican national committeeman from Texas from 1960 to 1969.  Grover received 37,842 votes (66.4 percent), some 700 more votes than he received in the first primary, to Fay's 19,166 (33.6 percent), or 5,000 fewer votes than he obtained in the primary. The Sharpstown bank scandal, which had damaged many of the state's Democratic leaders, worked to Grover's advantage, for he could depict himself as an untainted Republican nominee for governor. His uncompromising conservative, constitutionalist views may have weakened him among moderate voters in both parties.

In an even lower turnout runoff primary, Grover defeated Fay (1913–1992), the Republican national committeeman from Texas from 1960 to 1969.  Grover received 37,842 votes (66.4 percent), some 700 more votes than he received in the first primary, to Fay's 19,166 (33.6 percent), or 5,000 fewer votes than he obtained in the primary. The Sharpstown bank scandal, which had damaged many of the state's Democratic leaders, worked to Grover's advantage, for he could depict himself as an untainted Republican nominee for governor. His uncompromising conservative, constitutionalist views may have weakened him among moderate voters in both parties.

Grover lost the general election by almost exactly 100,000 votes to the Democratic nominee, former state Representative [[Dolph Briscoe]], of Uvalde in south Texas. Grover carried nearly all of the state's urban centers. The final tally was 1,633,493 (47.9 percent) for Briscoe and 1,533,986 (45 percent) for Grover.  Briscoe was a "minority governor" because he failed to garner a simple majority of the votes.  The [[Hispanic]] [[La Raza]] candidate, then 29-year-old Ramsey Muñiz, received 214,118 votes (6 percent), nearly all believed to have been at Briscoe's expense. (Two other minor candidates shared 27,994 votes, or 0.8 percent.)  Muñiz's support was insufficient to deny victory to Briscoe, but political analysts contend that Briscoe's margin was largely dependent on Hispanic voters in rural areas of south Texas who traditionally stuck with their Democratic nominees.

Grover lost the general election by almost exactly 100,000 votes to the Democratic nominee, former state Representative [[Dolph Briscoe]], of Uvalde in south Texas. Grover carried nearly all of the state's urban centers. The final tally was 1,633,493 (47.9 percent) for Briscoe and 1,533,986 (45 percent) for Grover.  Briscoe was a "minority governor" because he failed to garner a simple majority of the votes.  The [[Hispanic]] [[La Raza]] candidate, then 29-year-old Ramsey Muñiz, received 214,118 votes (6 percent), nearly all believed to have been at Briscoe's expense. (Two other minor candidates shared 27,994 votes, or 0.8 percent.)  Muñiz's support was insufficient to deny victory to Briscoe, but political analysts contend that Briscoe's margin was largely dependent on Hispanic voters in rural areas of south Texas who traditionally stuck with their Democratic nominees.

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[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Republican Party]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Former Democrats]]

[[Category:Former Democrats]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Educators]]

[[Category:Educators]]