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==Political life==

==Political life==

Tower went on to win full six-year senatorial terms in 1966 against the Democrats Waggonner Carr of [[Lubbock]], in 1972 against Harold Barefoot Sanders, Jr., of Dallas, and in 1978 against later interim Senator Robert Krueger of [[New Braunfels]]. In the 1972 campaign, he quarreled over tactics with the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee, [[Henry C. Grover]], a staunch conservative from Houston. He did not run in 1984 and was succeeded early the next year by fellow Democrat-turned-Republican [[Phil Gramm]], who was much more conservative.

Tower went on to win full six-year senatorial terms in 1966 against the Democrats Waggonner Carr of [[Lubbock]], in 1972 against Harold Barefoot Sanders, Jr., of Dallas, and in 1978 against later interim Senator Robert Krueger of [[New Braunfels]]. In the 1972 campaign, he quarreled over tactics with the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee, [[Henry C. Grover]], a staunch conservative from Houston. He did not run in 1984 and was succeeded early the next year by fellow Democrat-turned-Republican [[Phil Gramm|William Phillip "Phil" Gramm]], who was much more conservative.

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h182 H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> and the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/h87 TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</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>

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h182 H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</ref> and the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/h87 TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved February 12, 2021.</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>