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Line 64: − − While Crichton ran for governor, [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], a Massachusetts native, sought the [[U.S. Senate]] seat held by the [[liberal]] Democrat [[Ralph Yarborough]] of [[Austin]]. Crichton was unopposed for his nomination, but Bush faced a primary fight with the 1962 Republican gubernatorial nominee, Jack M. Cox (1921-1990) of Houston. Crichton and Bush spoke from some of the same podiums that year. Crichton traveled {55,000 miles in the campaign, addressed audiences in 85 cities and towns, and made 275 speeches. At the 1964 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[San Francisco]] [[California]], he was elected chairman of the Permanent Organization Committee and gave the report of that panel from the convention floor.<ref>Crichton, pp. 53-55.</ref> − − Crichton strongly supported the [[Barry Goldwater]] presidential candidacy: "In my opinion Goldwater would have made a great president. He would either have withdrawn our presence in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] or gone whole hog to win it, instead of the piecemeal strategy of the Johnson administration that so hampered our military leaders as they in effect were not allowed to win the Vietnam conflict."<ref>Crichton, p. 48.</ref> Line 86:
Line 82: − During the campaign, Crichton traveled to Junction in Kimble County to meet with former Democratic Governor Coke Robert Stevenson (1888-1975), the official loser by eighty-seven disputed votes in the 1948 runoff primary for the U.S. Senate against Lyndon Johnson. Stevenson had supported [[John Tower]] in Tower's unsuccessful 1960 senatorial general election against Johnson and was backing Goldwater in 1964 as well in the presidential contest. Stevenson told Crichton that the 1948 election "is an important part of American history, for it got Lyndon to the Senate, which he later controlled, and was a stepping stone to his becoming President. As for me, I was depressed for quite a while, but in retrospect it has allowed me to enjoy my ranch and my young daughter. With that, we had another bourbon and branch water, and I thanked him and departed."<ref>Crichton, pp. 35-37.</ref>+ + + + + + + Line 96:
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→Gubernatorial race
In making his race for governor, Crichton had to resign as president of the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M, a position to which he had just been elected. A classmate from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] named John Lindsey moved up from vice president to head the organization.<ref>Crichton, p. 16.</ref> Instead, he served in the post in 1967 Crichton tapped a neighbor, Hughes Brown, as his campaign manager. Brown told Crichton that the assassination in Dallas meant an "uphill battle, but you will have a chance to advance the cause of the Republican Party in Texas, and in politics anything can happen."<ref>Crichton, p. 15.</ref> Prior to the assassination, a poll had showed John F. Kennedy trailing in a trial heat in Texas for the 1964 general election.<ref>Crichton, p. 44.</ref>
In making his race for governor, Crichton had to resign as president of the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M, a position to which he had just been elected. A classmate from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] named John Lindsey moved up from vice president to head the organization.<ref>Crichton, p. 16.</ref> Instead, he served in the post in 1967 Crichton tapped a neighbor, Hughes Brown, as his campaign manager. Brown told Crichton that the assassination in Dallas meant an "uphill battle, but you will have a chance to advance the cause of the Republican Party in Texas, and in politics anything can happen."<ref>Crichton, p. 15.</ref> Prior to the assassination, a poll had showed John F. Kennedy trailing in a trial heat in Texas for the 1964 general election.<ref>Crichton, p. 44.</ref>
===Crichton's 13 political points===
===Crichton's 13 political points===
* (13) ethics in state government.<ref>Crichton, p. 58.</ref>
* (13) ethics in state government.<ref>Crichton, p. 58.</ref>
==Crichton and Bush==
While Crichton ran for governor, [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], a Massachusetts native, sought the [[U.S. Senate]] seat held by the [[liberal]] Democrat [[Ralph Yarborough]] of [[Austin]]. Crichton was unopposed for his nomination, but Bush faced a primary fight with the 1962 Republican gubernatorial nominee, Jack M. Cox (1921-1990) of Houston. Crichton and Bush spoke from some of the same podiums that year. Crichton traveled {55,000 miles in the campaign, addressed audiences in 85 cities and towns, and made 275 speeches. At the 1964 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[San Francisco]] [[California]], he was elected chairman of the Permanent Organization Committee and gave the report of that panel from the convention floor.<ref>Crichton, pp. 53-55.</ref>
Crichton strongly supported the [[Barry Goldwater]] presidential candidacy: "In my opinion Goldwater would have made a great president. He would either have withdrawn our presence in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] or gone whole hog to win it, instead of the piecemeal strategy of the Johnson administration that so hampered our military leaders as they in effect were not allowed to win the Vietnam conflict."<ref>Crichton, p. 48.</ref>
uring the campaign, Crichton traveled to Junction in Kimble County to meet with former Democratic Governor Coke Robert Stevenson (1888-1975), the official loser by eighty-seven disputed votes in the 1948 runoff primary for the U.S. Senate against Lyndon Johnson. Stevenson had supported [[John Tower]] in Tower's unsuccessful 1960 senatorial general election against Johnson and was backing Goldwater in 1964 as well in the presidential contest. Stevenson told Crichton that the 1948 election "is an important part of American history, for it got Lyndon to the Senate, which he later controlled, and was a stepping stone to his becoming President. As for me, I was depressed for quite a while, but in retrospect it has allowed me to enjoy my ranch and my young daughter. With that, we had another bourbon and branch water, and I thanked him and departed."<ref>Crichton, pp. 35-37.</ref>
Though Crichton and Bush were both defeated, the latter ran a stronger race against Yarborough than Crichton managed against Connally. Yarborough and Connally were sharp intra-party rivals at the time. Final results showed Connally with 1,877,793 votes (73.8 percent) to Crichton's 661,675 (26 percent). Crichton did, however, outpoll the tally amassed by the next Republican candidate against Connally in 1966, Thomas Everton Kennerly, Sr. (1903–2000), of Houston, by more than 300,000 votes in a lower-turnout election.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' Texas governorship.</ref> Kennerly ran unsuccessfully in 1964 for a seat on the [[Texas Supreme Court]].
Though Crichton and Bush were both defeated, the latter ran a stronger race against Yarborough than Crichton managed against Connally. Yarborough and Connally were sharp intra-party rivals at the time. Final results showed Connally with 1,877,793 votes (73.8 percent) to Crichton's 661,675 (26 percent). Crichton did, however, outpoll the tally amassed by the next Republican candidate against Connally in 1966, Thomas Everton Kennerly, Sr. (1903–2000), of Houston, by more than 300,000 votes in a lower-turnout election.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' Texas governorship.</ref> Kennerly ran unsuccessfully in 1964 for a seat on the [[Texas Supreme Court]].
Crichton noted that in 1964 he had spent $65,000 on his race, the majority for five hundred billboards to promote his name identification. He also depended heavily on local television and [[newspaper]] coverage in the cities that he visited.<ref>Crichton, p. 34.</ref> About half of Crichton's spending was from his personal funds. Crichton's expenditures averaged ten cents for each vote received, whereas the losing 2002 gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Tony Sanchez of [[Laredo]], spent $10 per vote, having disbursed $20 million in his campaign against [[Rick Perry]].<ref>Crichton, pp. 56, 59.</ref>
Crichton noted that in 1964 he had spent $65,000 on his race, the majority for five hundred billboards to promote his name identification. He also depended heavily on local television and [[newspaper]] coverage in the cities that he visited.<ref>Crichton, p. 34.</ref> About half of Crichton's spending was from his personal funds. Crichton's expenditures averaged ten cents for each vote received, whereas the losing 2002 gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Tony Sanchez of [[Laredo]], spent $10 per vote, having disbursed $20 million in his campaign against [[Rick Perry]].<ref>Crichton, pp. 56, 59.</ref>
==Death and legacy==
==Death and legacy==
Crichton retired in December 1967 from the Army Reserve after thirty years of service. He received the Legion of Merit for having organized the 488th Military Intelligence Detachment.<ref name=dmn/>
Crichton retired in December 1967 from the Army Reserve after thirty years of service. He received the Legion of Merit for having organized the 488th Military Intelligence Detachment.<ref name=dmn/>
In his short memoir, Crichton describes his political legacy:
In his short memoir, Crichton describes his political legacy:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Although I lost to a popular governor with his arm in a sling from the Kennedy tragedy, I think I was successful in helping to establish the Republican Party . . . to make Texas a two-party state. I met and made friends with some wonderful people who shared my views. An example; twenty years after the election I was in an airport in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]], and an elderly lady came up to me and said, "I was your precinct chairman in [[Brownsville]], and I'll always be grateful for your effort in the 1964 election." Such an appreciation made my efforts in 1964 worthwhile.<ref>Crichton, p. 50.</ref></blockquote>
Although I lost to a popular governor with his arm in a sling from the Kennedy tragedy, I think I was successful in helping to establish the Republican Party . . . to make Texas a two-party state. I met and made friends with some wonderful people who shared my views. An example; twenty years after the election I was in an airport in [[Baltimore]], and an elderly lady came up to me and said, "I was your precinct chairman in [[Brownsville]], and I'll always be grateful for your effort in the 1964 election." Such an appreciation made my efforts in 1964 worthwhile.<ref>Crichton, p. 50.</ref></blockquote>
Crichton recalled how 1964 brought two new names to national political prominence, [[Ronald W. Reagan]], who gave the celebrated television speech for Goldwater on October 27, 1964, and George H. W. Bush, though defeated in the first of two Senate bids later became Reagan's [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] and presidential successor. He continued: "The election also established the foundation of the Republican Party in Texas under then state chairman Peter O'Donnell's leadership, and the voters were shown qualified candidates who stood for conservative principles. The influx into Texas by Republicans from other states who shared these principles finally led to the Republican Party controlling both the [state] House and Senate in 2003."<ref>Crichton, pp. 48-49.</ref>
Crichton recalled how 1964 brought two new names to national political prominence, [[Ronald W. Reagan]], who gave the celebrated television speech for Goldwater on October 27, 1964, and George H. W. Bush, though defeated in the first of two Senate bids later became Reagan's [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] and presidential successor. He continued: "The election also established the foundation of the Republican Party in Texas under then state chairman Peter O'Donnell's leadership, and the voters were shown qualified candidates who stood for conservative principles. The influx into Texas by Republicans from other states who shared these principles finally led to the Republican Party controlling both the [state] House and Senate in 2003."<ref>Crichton, pp. 48-49.</ref>