Clayton Williams | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clayton Wheat Williams Jr. October 8, 1931 Alpine, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 2020 (aged 88) Midland, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Betty Meriwether (divorced), Modesta Williams (his death) |
| Alma mater | Texas A&M University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1957 |
Clayton Wheat "Claytie" Williams Jr. (October 8, 1931 – February 14, 2020) was an American businessman from Midland, Texas who ran for governor in 1990. Despite securing the Republican nomination and initially leading in the polls against Democratic challenger State Treasurer Ann Richards by twenty points, Williams ultimately lost the race due in part to a comment he made about rape.[1] During the campaign Williams cultivated an image of a cowboy figure who had risen from humble roots to become a powerful business tycoon.[2] The image played well in public opinion polls. Williams often had a propensity for making poorly planned statements on the campaign trail.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
rapewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Clayton Williams". Texas Monthly. October 1990. p. 122.