1932 Texas gubernatorial election

The 1932 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932, to elect the Governor of Texas. Democratic nominee and former Governor of Texas Miriam A. Ferguson defeated Republican nominee Orville Bullington.

Democratic primary
The Democratic primary election was held on July 23, 1932. As no candidate won a majority of votes, there was a run-off on August 27, 1932, between the two highest ranking candidates former Governor of Texas Miriam A. Ferguson and incumbent Governor of Texas Ross S. Sterling. Ferguson would eventually win the primary with 50.20% against Sterling, which marked the closest primary defeat for an incumbent governor in United States history.

Candidates

 * Miriam A. Ferguson, former Governor.
 * Ross S. Sterling, incumbent Governor.
 * Tom F. Hunter, attorney.
 * M. H. Wolfe, former chairman of the Democratic state executive committee, and prohibition advocate.
 * George W. Armstrong, Attorney, Oilman, Rancher. withdrew to run as an Independent on July 4, 1932.
 * Roger Q. Evans, of San Antonio.
 * Frank Putnam, anti-prohibition advocate
 * C. A. Frakes, of Port Arthur.
 * J. Ed Glenn, hitch-hiker.

Republican convention
The Republican convention was held on August 9th, 1932. In the months leading up to the convention, John F. Grant was seen as the likely nominee but in the days before the event a movement to nominate Orville Bullington began to grow. Bullington had not sought the parties nomination but party leaders thought that he was their strongest candidate and backed him regardless.

Candidates

 * Orville Bullington, Attorney
 * John F. Grant, Lumberman
 * George C. Hopkins, of Dallas

Results
During the convention Grant withdrew his candidacy and Bullington was nominated unanimously. In his convention speech Bullington came out strongly in favor of prohibition and pledged to uphold the Eighteenth Amendment. The Nomination of Bullington temporarily divided the party and R. B. Creager threatened to back Grant if he opposed Bullington. Grant, however, chose not to challenge Bullington, thus avoiding a split.

General election
Similar to her 1924 campaign, Ferguson's candidacy saw a large number of defections. After his lawsuit to keep Ferguson off of the ballot failed, Democratic incumbent Ross Sterling crossed party lines to endorse Orville Bullington. On election day, November 8, 1932, Democratic nominee Miriam A. Ferguson won re-election by a margin of 204,805 votes against her foremost opponent Republican nominee Orville Bullington, thereby retaining Democratic control over the office of Governor. By contrast, Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Herbert Hoover by a margin of 662,389 votes in the concurrent presidential election. Ferguson was sworn in as the 32nd Governor of Texas on January 17, 1933.

Candidates

 * George W. Armstrong (Jacksonian Democrat)
 * Orville Bullington (Republican), businessman and member of the Texas Republican Executive Committee.
 * George Clifton Edwards (Socialist)
 * Miriam A. Ferguson (Democratic), former Governor of Texas
 * Otho L. Heitt (Liberty)
 * Philip L. Howe (Communist)