The 1845 Texas gubernatorial election was held on December 15, 1845, to elect the first governor of Texas. The election was held in preparation for the annexation of Texas by the United States. As such the election actually predated Texas' entry into the Union by 14 days. James Pinckney Henderson was elected over James B. Miller with 83% of the vote and became the first governor of the new state.
General election Organized political parties did not exist in the Republic, with factions generally revolving around presidents Sam Houston and Mirabeau B. Lamar. Both Henderson and Miller had served in Houston's cabinet during his times in office. The first political party in state history, the Democrats, would not be organized for another year and both candidates ran nominally independent campaigns.
Candidates
James Pinckney Henderson, former Republic of Texas minister to the United Kingdom and France James B. Miller, physician, Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas, former chief justice of Fort Bend County, delegate at the Conventions of 1833 and 1845
Results
By county +1845 Texas gubernatorial election by countyCountyJames P. HendersonJames B. MillerTimothy PillsburyMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Austin9953.2%8746.8%00.0%126.4%186Bowie29973.1%11026.9%00.0%18946.2%409Brazoria96100.0%00.0%00.0%96100.0%96Brazos*4554.9%3745.1%00.0%89.8%82Colorado21889.7%2510.3%00.0%19370.4%243Fort Bend2316.0%12184.0%00.0%9868.0%144Galveston33496.3%133.7%00.0%32192.6%347Harris31857.4%23642.6%00.0%8214.8%554Harrison12096.0%00.0%54.0%11692.0%125Houston33198.8%41.2%00.0%32797.6%335Jackson*7479.6%1920.4%00.0%5559.2%93Jasper20191.8%188.2%00.0%18383.6%219Lamar33199.1%30.9%00.0%32898.2%334Matagorda10667.5%5132.5%00.0%5535.0%157Milam15274.5%5225.5%00.0%10049.0%204Montgomery54173.1%19926.9%00.0%34246.2%740Nacogdoches71199.9%00.0%10.1%71099.8%712Red River44998.0%92.0%00.0%44096.0%458Robertson27683.6%5416.4%00.0%22267.2%330Rusk271100.0%00.0%00.0%271100.0%271Sabine25096.2%103.8%00.0%24092.4%260San Augustine25695.9%114.1%00.0%24591.8%267San Patricio11191.7%108.3%00.0%10183.4%121Shelby37590.4%409.6%00.0%33586.8%415Travis18586.0%3014.0%00.0%15572.0%215Victoria6662.3%4037.7%00.0%2624.6%106Washington20250.1%20149.9%00.0%10.2%403Totals8,19083.0%1,67217.0%00.0%6,51866.0%9,862 counties whose results were not included in the official tabulation
See also 1844 Republic of Texas presidential election, the last presidential election in the Republic of Texas
References