The Democratic primary election was held on 26 July 1930. As no candidate won a majority of votes, there was a run-off on 23 August 1930 between the two highest ranking candidates former Governor of TexasMiriam A. Ferguson and Ross S. Sterling. Sterling would eventually win the primary with 55.19% against Ferguson.
The Republican primary election was also held on 26 July 1930. It was only the second Republican primary in state history, coming off of W. H. Holmes' run for governor in 1928 which garnered over 120,000 votes. George Butte, the Republican nominee in 1924 won the parties primary in absentia but doubts remained as to whether Butte, who was a special assistant to the attorney general in Washington, D.C. at the time, would accept the nomination.
After being nominated by the state convention in San Angelo, Butte wrote a letter to the executive committee resigning as nominee; explaining that he had tried to prior to the convention but his resignation had not been accepted. After his resignation the committee nominated William E. Talbot on September 24th, but he was not certified as the nominee until September 27th because of Butte's delayed resignation. Talbot, a colonel in World War One and sales manager at Southland Life Insurance, advocated for an old age pension, state development of river navigation, protection of independent oil producers, and prioritization of small trucks over large ones to protect the state's new highways.[4][5][6]
The Socialist Party nominated Lee Lightfoot Rhodes for a second consecutive time (and fourth time overall) as did the Communist Party with their nominee J. Stedham, after their shared election loss in the 1928 Texas gubernatorial election. On election day, 4 November 1930, Democratic nominee Ross S. Sterling won the election by a margin of 190,514 votes against his foremost opponent Republican nominee William E. Talbot, thereby retaining Democratic control over the office of Governor. Sterling was sworn in as the 31st Governor of Texas on 20 January 1931.[8]
^"Butte Quits in Race for Governorship". Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, Texas. September 23, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved November 17, 2024 – via Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers at the Library of Congress.
^"Dallas Man Named to Succeed Butte". Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, Texas. September 25, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved November 17, 2024 – via Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers at the Library of Congress.
^"Republican Nominee Offers Self as State Hired Hand". Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, Texas. September 28, 1930. p. 12. Retrieved November 17, 2024 – via Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers at the Library of Congress.
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