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At the national level, Barnhart had supported [[Barry Goldwater]]'s ill-fated campaign in Texas against native son [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. In 1975 and 1976, as chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, Barnhart was asked by Reagan to manage the [[California]]n's presidential primary campaign in Texas. Barnhart, then a [[United Methodist]], enlisted as co-chairmen Ernest Angelo, the mayor of Midland and a [[Roman Catholic]], and Barbara Staff, a party leader then active in the First Baptist Church of Dallas under pastor Wallie Amos Criswell (1909-2002). The campaign was so successful that the Reagan forces prevailed, 96-0, over President Ford, who had the backing of Senator Tower. Then four more Reagan delegates were chosen at the state convention. Barnhart recalled that wealthy Texas contributors were loyal to President Ford, but the Reagan forces had the "plain people" as voters and election workers. Barnhart said that he offered Tower and [[John Connally]], the former Democratic governor who switched parties in 1973 after having served as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] under President Nixon, delegate positions at the 1976 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]], provided they would agree to support Reagan for the first three potential ballots. The two declined Barnhart's offer and were hence not delegates to the convention. Barnhart chaired the Texas delegation at the convention.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr., of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," West Texas Historical Association Yearbook Vol. 86 (2010), pp. 81, 86.</ref>​

At the national level, Barnhart had supported [[Barry Goldwater]]'s ill-fated campaign in Texas against native son [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. In 1975 and 1976, as chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, Barnhart was asked by Reagan to manage the [[California]]n's presidential primary campaign in Texas. Barnhart, then a [[United Methodist]], enlisted as co-chairmen Ernest Angelo, the mayor of Midland and a [[Roman Catholic]], and Barbara Staff, a party leader then active in the First Baptist Church of Dallas under pastor Wallie Amos Criswell (1909-2002). The campaign was so successful that the Reagan forces prevailed, 96-0, over President Ford, who had the backing of Senator Tower. Then four more Reagan delegates were chosen at the state convention. Barnhart recalled that wealthy Texas contributors were loyal to President Ford, but the Reagan forces had the "plain people" as voters and election workers. Barnhart said that he offered Tower and [[John Connally]], the former Democratic governor who switched parties in 1973 after having served as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] under President Nixon, delegate positions at the 1976 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]], provided they would agree to support Reagan for the first three potential ballots. The two declined Barnhart's offer and were hence not delegates to the convention. Barnhart chaired the Texas delegation at the convention.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr., of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," West Texas Historical Association Yearbook Vol. 86 (2010), pp. 81, 86.</ref>​

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Barnhart himself was a Reagan delegate in Texas' 22nd congressional district, then including |Fort Bend, Brazoria, and parts of Harris and Waller counties. His side prevailed, 15,054 to 7,934 for the Ford forces.<ref>1976 Texas presidential primary returns, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, [[Austin]], Texas, 78711-2927</ref><ref>''WTHA Yearbook'', p. 81.</ref>​

Barnhart himself was a Reagan delegate in Texas' 22nd congressional district, then including |Fort Bend, Brazoria, and parts of Harris and Waller counties. His side prevailed, 15,054 to 7,934 for the Ford forces.<ref>1976 Texas presidential primary returns, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, [[Austin]], Texas, 78711-2927</ref><ref>''WTHA Yearbook'', p. 81.</ref>

 

From 1975 to 1977, Barnhart was the Harris County Republican chairman. He was then state Republican chairman from 1977 to 1979, having succeeded Ray Hutchison, who stepped down to run unsuccessfully for governor in the primary against [[Bill Clements]]. Barnhart then worked to elect Clements, who secured a narrow gubernatorial victory over the Democrat John Luke Hill (1923-2007), the state attorney general and former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. As state [[Republican Party|GOP]] chairman, Barnhart was succeeded by Chester R. Upham, Jr. (1925-2008), an oil and natural gas businessman from Mineral Wells, who held the position until 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.is/20120903181308/http://www.mineralwellsindex.com/homepage/local_story_025074142.html|author=Laci Morrison and Libby Cluett,|title=Upham's death mourned by local, state political leaders|publisher=''Mineral Wells Index''|date=January 25, 2008|accessdate=Aprl 6, 2019}}</ref>

From 1975 to 1977, Barnhart was the Harris County Republican chairman. He was then state Republican chairman from 1977 to 1979, having succeeded Ray Hutchison, who stepped down to run unsuccessfully for governor in the primary against [[Bill Clements]]. Barnhart then worked to elect Clements, who secured a narrow gubernatorial victory over the Democrat John Luke Hill (1923-2007), the state attorney general and former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. As state [[Republican Party|GOP]] chairman, Barnhart was succeeded by Chester R. Upham, Jr. (1925-2008), an oil and natural gas businessman from Mineral Wells, who held the position until 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.is/20120903181308/http://www.mineralwellsindex.com/homepage/local_story_025074142.html|author=Laci Morrison and Libby Cluett,|title=Upham's death mourned by local, state political leaders|publisher=''Mineral Wells Index''|date=January 25, 2008|accessdate=Aprl 6, 2019}}</ref>