| − | 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 [[Chet Upham|Chester R. Upham, Jr.]], 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> |
| | In May 1979, incoming Governor Clements appointed Barnhart to the then three-member (since five members) Texas Department of Transportation. He served on the Texas Turnpike Authority,<ref name=whow/> the state agency responsible for construction and operation of major toll facilities.. At that time, Barnhart left his position with the Barmore Insurance Agency in Pasadena.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=44068|title=Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Ray A. Barnhart To Be Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, January 20, 1981|publisher=Presidency.ucsb.edu|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> | | In May 1979, incoming Governor Clements appointed Barnhart to the then three-member (since five members) Texas Department of Transportation. He served on the Texas Turnpike Authority,<ref name=whow/> the state agency responsible for construction and operation of major toll facilities.. At that time, Barnhart left his position with the Barmore Insurance Agency in Pasadena.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=44068|title=Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Ray A. Barnhart To Be Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, January 20, 1981|publisher=Presidency.ucsb.edu|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> |