1888 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election
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November 6, 1888
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| Elections in Texas |
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 Government |
The 1888 Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1888, in order to elect the lieutenant governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Thomas Benton Wheeler defeated Union Labor nominee W. A. Moers and Prohibition nominee Finis E. Yoakum.[1][2]
General election
[edit]Texas at the time was a part of the "Solid South" and the Democratic party was heavily favored in state elections, with the incumbent administration of Governor "Sul" Ross and Lieutenant Governor Thomas Wheeler proving especially popular.[3]
Previous elections had split opposition votes between multiple smaller parties in the state including the Republican, Prohibition, and the now defunct[4] Greenback parties. In order to attempt and consolidate the opposition votes a strategy of electoral fusion was proposed, similar to the 1882 gubernatorial campaign of independent candidate "Wash" Jones.[5] At the top of the fusion ticket Prohibition party candidate and former lieutenant governor, Francis Marion Martin, was selected. The lieutenant governor slot was given to W. A. Moers of the newly formed Union Labor Party. Moers was an anti-prohibitionist and was selected in an attempt to balance out the ticket and attract multiple factions.[6] However, the choice did alienate some in the Prohibition party who nominated Finis E. Yoakum instead.[7]
On election day, November 6, 1888, Wheeler won re-election by a margin of 162,443 votes against Moers, thereby retaining Democratic control over the office of lieutenant governor. Wheeler was sworn in for his second term on January 16, 1889.[8]
Candidates
[edit]Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas Benton Wheeler (incumbent) | 250,057 | 72.36 |  1.51 | |
| Union Labor | W. A. Moers | 87,614 | 25.35 | N/A | |
| Prohibition | Finis E. Yoakum | 7,280 | 2.11 | 2.79 | |
| Write-in | 639 | 0.18 |  0.14 | ||
| Total votes | 345,590 | 100.00 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
References
[edit]- ↑ Barr, Alwyn (1971). Reconstruction to Reform: Texas Politics, 1876-1906. University of Texas Press. p. 104. ISBN 0292701357.
- ↑ "Rum on the run in Texas : a brief history of prohibition in the Lone Star State" (PDF). upload.wikimedia.org. 1910. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "How Much Majority?". The Austin Weekly Statesman. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Gunn, Jack (1952). "The Greenback Movement in Texas: A Historical Overview". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Sly Marion Martin". The Weekly Gazette. Fort Worth, TX. May 18, 1888. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "A Good Speech". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. October 19, 1888. p. 5. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Prohibition Ticket". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. April 26, 1888. p. 1. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Returns for State Officers". babel.hathitrust.org. November 6, 1888. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Union Labor Ticket". Wise County Messenger. September 29, 1888. p. 5. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Non Partisan State Ticket". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. October 21, 1888. p. 2. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Non-Partisan Rally, Endorsing Marion Martin's Nomination". San Antonio Daily Express. August 26, 1888. p. 4. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Prohibition Ticket". Wise County Messenger. September 29, 1888. p. 5. Retrieved April 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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