Changes

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed and voted against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s409 HR. 7152. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> as well as the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/s78 TO PASS S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> It's important to note, however, that Tower did oppose an amendment by [[Albert Gore, Sr.]] which sought to water down the 1964 bill,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s408 HR. 7152. GORE MOTION TO RECOMMIT TO THE JUDICIARY COMM. W/INSTRUCTIONS THAT IT REPORT IT BACK "FORTHWITH" W/THE AMEND. STATING THAT FEDERAL FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE W/DRAWN FROM ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT UNLESS THAT DISTRICT HAD DISOBEYED A COURT ORDER THAT IS DESEGREGATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://nationalcenter.org/project21/1999/05/01/blacks-gored-by-a-lie-al-gore-sr-the-gop-and-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964-by-r-d-davis/ Blacks “Gored” By a Lie: Al Gore Sr., the GOP and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by R.D. Davis]. ''Black Leadership Network''. Retrieved May 24, 2021.</ref> which his [[liberal]] Democrat colleague [[Ralph Yarborough]] voted ''for''. Tower stated:<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/88/crecb/1964/06/19/GPO-CRECB-1964-pt11-3-2.pdf GPO-CRECB-1964-pt11-3-2.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved May 24, 2021.</ref>

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed and voted against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s409 HR. 7152. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> as well as the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/s78 TO PASS S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> It's important to note, however, that Tower did oppose an amendment by [[Albert Gore, Sr.]] which sought to water down the 1964 bill,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s408 HR. 7152. GORE MOTION TO RECOMMIT TO THE JUDICIARY COMM. W/INSTRUCTIONS THAT IT REPORT IT BACK "FORTHWITH" W/THE AMEND. STATING THAT FEDERAL FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE W/DRAWN FROM ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT UNLESS THAT DISTRICT HAD DISOBEYED A COURT ORDER THAT IS DESEGREGATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://nationalcenter.org/project21/1999/05/01/blacks-gored-by-a-lie-al-gore-sr-the-gop-and-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964-by-r-d-davis/ Blacks “Gored” By a Lie: Al Gore Sr., the GOP and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by R.D. Davis]. ''Black Leadership Network''. Retrieved May 24, 2021.</ref> which his [[liberal]] Democrat colleague [[Ralph Yarborough]] voted ''for''. Tower stated:<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/88/crecb/1964/06/19/GPO-CRECB-1964-pt11-3-2.pdf GPO-CRECB-1964-pt11-3-2.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved May 24, 2021.</ref>

{{quotebox-float|...'''the motion is merely another assault on title VI, ''which I believe is a good provision of the bill'''''. I think that if we had en-acted a separate measure containing the provisions in title VI some time ago, we would not be asked to enact some of the other measures which we are asked to enact today. I believe that if people in the States and localities are going to accept Federal money and Federal support, they must not engage in any kind of discrimination which is contrary to Federal policy. Therefore I intend to vote against the motion of the Senator from Tennessee.}}

{{quotebox-float|...'''the motion is merely another assault on title VI, ''which I believe is a good provision of the bill'''''. I think that if we had en-acted a separate measure containing the provisions in title VI some time ago, we would not be asked to enact some of the other measures which we are asked to enact today. I believe that if people in the States and localities are going to accept Federal money and Federal support, they must not engage in any kind of discrimination which is contrary to Federal policy. Therefore I intend to vote against the motion of the Senator from Tennessee.}}

He was considered for years as one of the most [[conservative]] members of the Senate. But in 1976, Tower began to alienate many conservatives by his support of [[Gerald Ford]], rather than [[Ronald Reagan]] in the 1976 Republican presidential primaries. Reagan won every Texas delegate in the Texas Republican presidential primary and four at-large delegates chosen at the state convention, but he narrowly lost the party nomination to Ford at the convention held that year in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]] though Ford was ultimately unseated by [[Jimmy Carter]]. [[Ernest Angelo, Jr.]], one of three co-chairmen of the 1976 Reagan campaign in Texas and a former mayor of [[Midland]], recalls a visit with Tower in 1975, when Angelo informed Tower that he would be working in the Reagan campaign. Angelo recalls Tower as having told him that supporting Reagan would be a "dumb thing to do".<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr. of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010) (since known as the ''West Texas Historical Review''), p. 85.</ref> At the time, all Republican U.S. senators except [[Jesse Helms]] of [[North Carolina]] and [[Paul Laxalt]] of [[Nevada]] were committed to Ford. Tower blamed Ford's defeat in Texas on "[[Dixiecrat]]s ... the Reagan organization, aided by former [[George Wallace]] leaders, made a concerted and obviously successful effort to get the Wallace vote in the Republican primary. In addition, some section of Ford's defense and foreign policy alienated some voters who may otherwise have cast their ballot for the president."<ref>''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>

He was considered for years as one of the most [[conservative]] members of the Senate. But in 1976, Tower began to alienate many conservatives by his support of [[Gerald Ford]], rather than [[Ronald Reagan]] in the 1976 Republican presidential primaries. Reagan won every Texas delegate in the Texas Republican presidential primary and four at-large delegates chosen at the state convention, but he narrowly lost the party nomination to Ford at the convention held that year in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]] though Ford was ultimately unseated by [[Jimmy Carter]]. [[Ernest Angelo, Jr.]], one of three co-chairmen of the 1976 Reagan campaign in Texas and a former mayor of [[Midland]], recalls a visit with Tower in 1975, when Angelo informed Tower that he would be working in the Reagan campaign. Angelo recalls Tower as having told him that supporting Reagan would be a "dumb thing to do".<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr. of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010) (since known as the ''West Texas Historical Review''), p. 85.</ref> At the time, all Republican U.S. senators except [[Jesse Helms]] of [[North Carolina]] and [[Paul Laxalt]] of [[Nevada]] were committed to Ford. Tower blamed Ford's defeat in Texas on "[[Dixiecrat]]s ... the Reagan organization, aided by former [[George Wallace]] leaders, made a concerted and obviously successful effort to get the Wallace vote in the Republican primary. In addition, some section of Ford's defense and foreign policy alienated some voters who may otherwise have cast their ballot for the president."<ref>''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>