Changes

​

​

In 1972, Fay ran against five other candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He made it into the second primary but lost the nomination to then state Senator [[Henry C. Grover]], also of Houston and a staunch [[conservative]]. Grover was thereafter defeated in the [[general election]] by Democrat [[Dolph Briscoe]]. A third candidate was Ramsey Muñiz, nominee of the since-disbanded Hispanic Raza Unida Party. In the low-turnout runoff election, Grover received 37,842 votes (66.4 percent) to Fay's 19,166 (33.6 percent), according to ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections.''

In 1972, Fay ran against five other candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He made it into the second primary but lost the nomination to then state Senator [[Henry C. Grover]], also of Houston and a staunch [[conservative]]. Grover was thereafter defeated in the [[general election]] by Democrat [[Dolph Briscoe]]. A third candidate was Ramsey Muñiz, nominee of the since-disbanded Hispanic Raza Unida Party. In the low-turnout runoff election, Grover received 37,842 votes (66.4 percent) to Fay's 19,166 (33.6 percent), according to ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections.''

 

In the primary campaign, Fay argued for another national park, this time in the Big Thicket of east Texas, a state park onMustang Island in the Gulf of Mexico, and a recreational area along Armand Bayou. He also urged the development of a comprehensive water plan and advocated reducing property taxes on the homes of the elderly. The state does not collect property taxes in Texas, but cities, counties, and school districts depend heavily on such revenues.​<ref name=bio/>

In the primary campaign, Fay argued for another national park, this time in the Big Thicket of east Texas, a state park onMustang Island in the Gulf of Mexico, and a recreational area along Armand Bayou. He also urged the development of a comprehensive water plan and advocated reducing property taxes on the homes of the elderly. The state does not collect property taxes in Texas, but cities, counties, and school districts depend heavily on such revenues.​<ref name=bio/>

​

​

==GOP financier and U.S. ambassador==​

==Party financier and U.S. ambassador==​

Fay served as chairman of his state's Republican finance committee, as a member of the national Republican finance committee (1968–1976), a member of the Texas Republican Executive Committee, and a member of the executive committee of the Republican National Committee. He was a delegate to three consecutive national conventions:  1960 in [[Chicago]], 1964 in [[San Francisco]], and 1968 in Miami Beach, [[Florida]]; he served as co-chairman of the state delegation in 1960 and vice chairman of the state delegation in 1964.​<ref name=bio/>

Fay served as chairman of his state's Republican finance committee, as a member of the national Republican finance committee (1968–1976), a member of the Texas Republican Executive Committee, and a member of the executive committee of the Republican National Committee. He was a delegate to three consecutive national conventions:  1960 in [[Chicago]], 1964 in [[San Francisco]], and 1968 in Miami Beach, [[Florida]]; he served as co-chairman of the state delegation in 1960 and vice chairman of the state delegation in 1964.​<ref name=bio/>

 

In October 1969, U.S. President [[Richard M. Nixon]] appointed Fay to the 13-member board of governors overseeing the former Panama Canal Company. He retained that position until February 1976, when President [[Gerald Ford, named him ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. He served in that capacity for over a year, until April 1977, some months after Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]] assumed the presidency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/fay-albert-bel|title=Albert Bel Fay (1913-1992|publisher=Office of the Historian: U.S. State Department|accessdate=October 25, 2019}}</ref>​

In October 1969, U.S. President [[Richard M. Nixon]] appointed Fay to the 13-member board of governors overseeing the former Panama Canal Company. He retained that position until February 1976, when President [[Gerald Ford, named him ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. He served in that capacity for over a year, until April 1977, some months after Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]] assumed the presidency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/fay-albert-bel|title=Albert Bel Fay (1913-1992|publisher=Office of the Historian: U.S. State Department|accessdate=October 25, 2019}}</ref>​

​

​