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The 96-0 Reagan landslide made impressive headlines and followed thereafter with four more at-large Reagan delegates chosen at the state convention. Angelo said the victory was possible because the party was allowed to write its own rules. Some 420,000 voted in the Republican primary in which Reagan polled 278,300 votes to Ford's 139,994. In the Democratic primary, two candidates easily outpolled Reagan, and a third nearly matched him. Jimmy Carter received 736,032 votes; U.S. Senator [[Lloyd Bentsen]], a favorite son for President and a candidate for senatorial reelection, polled 343,033 votes, and [[George Wallace]], the [[governor]] of [[Alabama]], drew 270,798 votes. Carter, Bentsen, and Wallace hence polled some three times as many votes as Reagan and Ford combined.<ref>[[Austin]]: Texas State Archives, 1976 Republican presidential primary returns.</ref> The 1976 primary was the first election in Texas in which counties with at least 5 percent [[Mexico|Mexican]]-[[United States|American]] ethnicity were required to use bilingual ballots.<ref name="laredo">''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>

The 96-0 Reagan landslide made impressive headlines and followed thereafter with four more at-large Reagan delegates chosen at the state convention. Angelo said the victory was possible because the party was allowed to write its own rules. Some 420,000 voted in the Republican primary in which Reagan polled 278,300 votes to Ford's 139,994. In the Democratic primary, two candidates easily outpolled Reagan, and a third nearly matched him. Jimmy Carter received 736,032 votes; U.S. Senator [[Lloyd Bentsen]], a favorite son for President and a candidate for senatorial reelection, polled 343,033 votes, and [[George Wallace]], the [[governor]] of [[Alabama]], drew 270,798 votes. Carter, Bentsen, and Wallace hence polled some three times as many votes as Reagan and Ford combined.<ref>[[Austin]]: Texas State Archives, 1976 Republican presidential primary returns.</ref> The 1976 primary was the first election in Texas in which counties with at least 5 percent [[Mexico|Mexican]]-[[United States|American]] ethnicity were required to use bilingual ballots.<ref name="laredo">''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>

While he co-managed the Reagan campaign, Mayor Angelo was chosen to be a national committeeman, a position that he retained for twenty years. After Reagan became president, Angelo tried again for the Midland-based state Senate seat, but he lost in 1982 to the Democrat William “Bill” Sims of San Angelo in Tom Green County, 52,868 (47.9 percent) to 57,522 (52.1 percent).<ref>State of Texas, Archives Division, General election returns for state Senate, November 2, 1982.</ref> This race occurred about a decade before the region between Midland and San Angelo moved strongly into the Republican camp. In that same year, [[Bill Clements]] of Dallas, the first Texas Republican governor of Texas since 1873, and Houston oilman [[George Strake, Jr.]], the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor and later the state party chairman, were crushed in an avalanche of Democratic votes. It was the last year through at least 2018 that the Democrats in Texas would win all of the statewide races, including judgeships. Angelo noted that the poor Republican prospects in Texas in 1982 were attribted to a downturn in the national economy, as Democrats rebounded nationwide in President Reagan's first mid-term election.  

While he co-managed the Reagan campaign, Mayor Angelo was chosen to be a national committeeman, a position that he retained for twenty years. After Reagan became president, Angelo tried again for the Midland-based state Senate seat, but he lost in 1982 to the Democrat William “Bill” Sims of San Angelo in Tom Green County, 52,868 (47.9 percent) to 57,522 (52.1 percent).<ref>State of Texas, Archives Division, General election returns for state Senate, November 2, 1982.</ref> This race occurred about a decade before the region between Midland and San Angelo moved strongly into the Republican camp. In that same year, [[Bill Clements]] of Dallas, the first Texas Republican governor of Texas since 1873, and Houston oilman [[George Strake, Jr.]], the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor and later the state party chairman, were crushed in an avalanche of Democratic votes. It was the last year through at least 2018 that the Democrats in Texas would win all of the statewide races, including judgeships. Angelo noted that the poor Republican prospects in Texas in 1982 were attributed to a downturn in the national economy, as Democrats rebounded nationwide in President Reagan's first mid-term election.  

Angelo said that his defeat by Sims was a “blessing” because he needed to work full-time after 1983 on his business, and his being a state senator would have been too time-consuming to protect his company during a slump. Angelo recalls Clements' defeat by [[Mark White]] in 1982 as his own most personally disappointing election loss. Only two years earlier, his most exhilarating victory had been that of Reagan over President Carter just four years after Angelo, Barnhart, and Staff had worked to resurrect Reagan in the Texas primary.<ref name="hathorn"/>

Angelo said that his defeat by Sims was a “blessing” because he needed to work full-time after 1983 on his business, and his being a state senator would have been too time-consuming to protect his company during a slump. Angelo recalls Clements' defeat by [[Mark White]] in 1982 as his own most personally disappointing election loss. Only two years earlier, his most exhilarating victory had been that of Reagan over President Carter just four years after Angelo, Barnhart, and Staff had worked to resurrect Reagan in the Texas primary.<ref name="hathorn"/>

Under Angelo, the city modernized Midland International Airport. Though it is used by neighboring Odessa, the airport is entirely the possession of the City of Midland. When the University of Texas of the Permian Basin  became a four-year institution, plans had been to merge Midland and Odessa junior colleges on the Midland campus under a common community college district. Odessa voters, however, voted down the proposal, reflecting longstanding divisions between the two municipalities of common size and different focus in neighboring Midland and Ector counties. Angelo presided over the building of a new central fire station and Midland Center, a civic meeting facility which opened downtown with a large clientele. The first shopping mall, developed by the Simon Company of [[Indianapolis]], Indiana opened during Angelo's tenure. Federal block grants were employed to upgrade Midland streets and to pave the remaining dirt and gravel roads within the city. Angelo said that the city manager, the late James W. Brown, and his assistant, Fred Poe, carried most of the burden of administrative details and provided continuity during his years as mayor. There were some problems with planning and zoning, but the water and sewer infrastructure proved more than adequate.<ref name="hathorn"/>

Under Angelo, the city modernized Midland International Airport. Though it is used by neighboring Odessa, the airport is entirely the possession of the City of Midland. When the University of Texas of the Permian Basin  became a four-year institution, plans had been to merge Midland and Odessa junior colleges on the Midland campus under a common community college district. Odessa voters, however, voted down the proposal, reflecting longstanding divisions between the two municipalities of common size and different focus in neighboring Midland and Ector counties. Angelo presided over the building of a new central fire station and Midland Center, a civic meeting facility which opened downtown with a large clientele. The first shopping mall, developed by the Simon Company of [[Indianapolis]], Indiana opened during Angelo's tenure. Federal block grants were employed to upgrade Midland streets and to pave the remaining dirt and gravel roads within the city. Angelo said that the city manager, the late James W. Brown, and his assistant, Fred Poe, carried most of the burden of administrative details and provided continuity during his years as mayor. There were some problems with planning and zoning, but the water and sewer infrastructure proved more than adequate.<ref name="hathorn"/>

Angelo worked with four at-large council members, and he had the power to break ties. Now, the Midland City Council has six single-member distric]s with the mayor able to vote on all matters though his vote might not usually be needed except to break a tie. Angelo said the decision by the U. S. courts to require single-member districts in legislative elections has not been productive, at least in Midland. In the single-member concept, council members tend to be focused only on the parochial nature of their districts, rather than the well-being of a city as a whole. Mayor Angelo won again in 1974, 1976, and 1978 with token or no opposition. He did not run in 1980 and was succeeded by Gaylian Thane Akins (1933–2005), also a petroleum engineer in Midland. Angelo jokes that he took office during a downturn in the West Texas oil industry and “my leadership and the Arab oil embargo got Midland booming”, as greater demand developed for drilling West Texas petroleum. Under the Angelo administration, Midland property taxes became the lowest among the twenty-five largest population centers in Texas. In later years, Texans found that tax rates themselves were less critical in calculating their payments than the rising assessed values of their properties.<ref name="hathorn"/>

Angelo worked with four at-large council members, and he had the power to break ties. Now, the Midland City Council has six single-member districts with the mayor able to vote on all matters though his vote might not usually be needed except to break a tie. Angelo said the decision by the U. S. courts to require single-member districts in legislative elections has not been productive, at least in Midland. In the single-member concept, council members tend to be focused only on the parochial nature of their districts, rather than the well-being of a city as a whole. Mayor Angelo won again in 1974, 1976, and 1978 with token or no opposition. He did not run in 1980 and was succeeded by Gaylian Thane Akins (1933–2005), also a petroleum engineer in Midland. Angelo jokes that he took office during a downturn in the West Texas oil industry and “my leadership and the Arab oil embargo got Midland booming”, as greater demand developed for drilling West Texas petroleum. Under the Angelo administration, Midland property taxes became the lowest among the twenty-five largest population centers in Texas. In later years, Texans found that tax rates themselves were less critical in calculating their payments than the rising assessed values of their properties.<ref name="hathorn"/>

==Political matters==

==Political matters==

Angelo has been a steadfast supporter of Governor Rick Perry, who turned back a determined intra-party challenge on March 2, 2010 from U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison before he defeated the Democratic nominee, former Houston Mayor William Henry "Bill" White. Angelo said that many in the oil industry in Midland supported Perry "to ensure the pro-business climate continues. Midland has a reputation of being a conservative pro-business community."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_581aa538-3a4c-5657-893f-5e18bc08a4a6.html|title=Kathleen Thurber, "Gov. Perry raises more than White in Midland, statewide," October 5, 2010|publisher=''Midland Reporter-Telegram|accessdate=March 20, 2011}}</ref>

Angelo has been a steadfast supporter of Governor Rick Perry, who turned back a determined intra-party challenge on March 2, 2010 from U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison before he defeated the Democratic nominee, former Houston Mayor William Henry "Bill" White. Angelo said that many in the oil industry in Midland supported Perry "to ensure the pro-business climate continues. Midland has a reputation of being a conservative pro-business community."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_581aa538-3a4c-5657-893f-5e18bc08a4a6.html|title=Kathleen Thurber, "Gov. Perry raises more than White in Midland, statewide," October 5, 2010|publisher=''Midland Reporter-Telegram|accessdate=March 20, 2011}}</ref>

Angelo is still active as an oilman in Midland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manta.com/c/mm2fpgn/ernest-angelo-office|title=Ernest Angelo office|publisher=manta.com|accessdate=March 10, 2011}}</ref>Hhe and his wife reside in the same house on Stanolind Avenue that they bought c. 1970. The Minnesota native who was reared in Louisiana is an adopted West Texan describes Midland as "a very open community ... where people can excel in any endeavor." He attributes the political climate in Midland and West Texas to the oil and [[natural gas]] industries: "These are people with a can-do entrepreneurial independence who suiespport a conservative philosophy of government."<ref name="hathorn"/>

Angelo is still active as an oilman in Midland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manta.com/c/mm2fpgn/ernest-angelo-office|title=Ernest Angelo office|publisher=manta.com|accessdate=March 10, 2011}}</ref> He and his wife reside in the same house on Stanolind Avenue that they bought c. 1970. The Minnesota native who was reared in Louisiana is an adopted West Texan describes Midland as "a very open community ... where people can excel in any endeavor." He attributes the political climate in Midland and West Texas to the oil and [[natural gas]] industries: "These are people with a can-do entrepreneurial independence who suiespport a conservative philosophy of government."<ref name="hathorn"/>

In 2012, Angelo was a leading supporter of [[Christi Craddick]], his neighbor Tom Craddick's daughter, who won election to the Texas Railroad Commission.

In 2012, Angelo was a leading supporter of [[Christi Craddick]], his neighbor Tom Craddick's daughter, who won election to the Texas Railroad Commission.