1978 Texas Attorney General election

The 1978 Texas Attorney General election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the Texas Attorney General. Democratic nominee Mark White defeated Republican nominee James Baker.

1978 Texas Attorney General election

November 7, 1978

Nominee Mark White James Baker Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,249,846 999,431 Percentage 55.1% 44.1%

Attorney General before election John Hill Democratic Elected Attorney General Mark White Democratic

Democratic primary

The incumbent Attorney General John Hill chose to challenge the incumbent governor Dolph Briscoe in the Democratic gubernatorial primary instead of running for reelection.

Candidates

Nominee

• Mark Wells White Jr., Texas Secretary of State, former assistant attorney general of Texas

Eliminated in primary

• Marion Price Daniel Jr., former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, President of the 1974 Texas Constitutional Convention, son of former governor Price Daniel

Results

Democratic primary, May 6, 1978

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mark White	850,979	52.2%
	Democratic	Price Daniel Jr.	778,889	47.8%
Total votes			1,629,868	100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• James Addison Baker III, lawyer, campaign chairman for Gerald Ford's 1976 presidential campaign, former under secretary of commerce under Rogers Morton

Results

Republican primary, May 6, 1978

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	James Baker	131,962	100.0%
Total votes			131,962	100.0%

General election

Results

November 7, 1978 Texas Attorney General election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mark White	1,249,846	55.1%
	Republican	James Baker	999,431	44.1%
	Socialist Workers	Agnes Chapa	17,974	0.8%
Total votes			2,267,251	100.00%
	Democratic hold