Changes

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 third-party 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's Catholicism was apparently not an issue with Texas voters. Had he been elected, he would have become the first and thus far only Catholic governor of Texas. Many believed that Texas had supported Republican [[Herbert Hoover]] in 1928 because opponent [[Alfred E. Smith]] was Catholic. Texas, however, had voted in 1960 for [[John F. Kennedy]], the nation's first and thus far only Catholic president.

Grover's Catholicism was apparently not an issue with Texas voters. Had he been elected, he would have become the first and thus far only Catholic governor of Texas. Many believed that Texas had supported Republican [[Herbert Hoover]] in 1928 because opponent [[Alfred E. Smith]] was Catholic. Texas, however, had voted in 1960 for [[John F. Kennedy]], the nation's first and thus far only Catholic president.