On the day of the runoff election, Johnson appeared to have lost the Democratic nomination to Stevenson. Six days after polls had closed, 202 additional votes were added to the totals for Precinct 13 of Jim Wells County, 200 for Johnson and two for Stevenson. This resulted in a narrow lead for Johnson.[1]
The subsequent recount, handled by the Democratic State Central Committee, took a week. Johnson was announced the winner by 87 votes out of 988,295, an extremely narrow margin of victory.[2] Suspicions arose that the 202 late votes were fraudulent. The names added to the end of the tally sheet were in alphabetical order and written with the same pen and handwriting. Some of the individuals whose names were listed insisted they had not voted that day, while the last person whose name was recorded before the questionable entries stated that when he voted shortly before the polls closed, there had been no one in line behind him.[3]
Stevenson took the dispute to court, and the case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Johnson prevailed on the basis that jurisdiction over naming a nominee rested with the state party, not the federal government.[4] A private, non-official investigation[5] found that Johnson had conspired with George Parr, a Democratic Party leader in Texas, to falsify vote totals.[1] In the general election, Johnson went on to defeat the Republican nominee Jack Porter by a margin of 33.28% and 353,320 votes.[6]
Aftermathedit
Johnson biographer Robert Caro made the case in his 1990 book that Johnson had stolen the election in Jim Wells County.[7] A stage play based on the scandal, Box Thirteen by Jack Westin, was performed at the College of the Mainland Community Theatre during the 1998–1999 season.[8]
In 2023, Associated Press reporter James Mangan donated to the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum taped interviews confirming the story that he recorded in 1977. Mangan was able to corroborate the story with Luis Salas, who worked as an election judge in South Texas. Salas told Mangan that the powerful South Texas political boss George B. Parr ordered that some 200 votes be added to the totals for Box 13. Salas said he then watched as the names of individuals who had not voted were added to the tally sheet.[9]
Referencesedit
^ ab"The Mystery of Ballot Box 13". Washington Post. March 4, 1990.
^Dale Baum and James L. Hailey (Autumn 1994). "Lyndon Johnson's Victory in the 1948 Texas Senate Race: A Reappraisal". Political Science Quarterly. 109 (4): 595–613. doi:10.2307/2151840. JSTOR 2151840. To the east in neighboring Jim Wells County – home of the notorious Box 13, which happened to be the only box in the county dominated by Parr's operatives – LBJ managed to acquire, according to the estimates, a four-percentage-point net gain over Stevenson, or about only 387 votes (of which at least two hundred were patently fraudulent).
^Hudson, Angela (June 11, 1999). "The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas on June 11, 1999". Galveston Daily News. p. 21. Retrieved 26 January 2021. A Tommy Townsend, left, appears with Bill Low in a scene from the world premiere of "Box Thirteen," which is being performed at the College of the Mainland Arena Theatre through June 27.
^Stengle, Angela (April 1, 2023). "'Window into history': Tapes detail LBJ's stolen election". AP News. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
Works citededit
Caro, Robert (1990). The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN978-0394528359.
Dallek, Robert (1998). Flawed Giant: Lyndon Johnson and His Times, 1961–1973. Oxford University Press. p. 524. ISBN978-0195054651.
Woods, Randall (2006). LBJ: Architect of American Ambition. New York: Free Press. ISBN978-0684834580.
February 16, 2024
scandal, political, scandal, that, occurred, wells, county, texas, during, senate, election, 1948, regarding, disputed, votes, democratic, primary, involving, lyndon, johnson, coke, stevenson, contents, origins, investigation, aftermath, references, works, cit. The Box 13 scandal was a political scandal that occurred in Jim Wells County Texas during the U S Senate election of 1948 regarding disputed votes in a Democratic primary involving Lyndon B Johnson and Coke Stevenson Contents 1 Origins and investigation 2 Aftermath 3 References 3 1 Works citedOrigins and investigation editSee also 1948 United States Senate election in Texas On the day of the runoff election Johnson appeared to have lost the Democratic nomination to Stevenson Six days after polls had closed 202 additional votes were added to the totals for Precinct 13 of Jim Wells County 200 for Johnson and two for Stevenson This resulted in a narrow lead for Johnson 1 The subsequent recount handled by the Democratic State Central Committee took a week Johnson was announced the winner by 87 votes out of 988 295 an extremely narrow margin of victory 2 Suspicions arose that the 202 late votes were fraudulent The names added to the end of the tally sheet were in alphabetical order and written with the same pen and handwriting Some of the individuals whose names were listed insisted they had not voted that day while the last person whose name was recorded before the questionable entries stated that when he voted shortly before the polls closed there had been no one in line behind him 3 Stevenson took the dispute to court and the case eventually reached the U S Supreme Court Johnson prevailed on the basis that jurisdiction over naming a nominee rested with the state party not the federal government 4 A private non official investigation 5 found that Johnson had conspired with George Parr a Democratic Party leader in Texas to falsify vote totals 1 In the general election Johnson went on to defeat the Republican nominee Jack Porter by a margin of 33 28 and 353 320 votes 6 Aftermath editJohnson biographer Robert Caro made the case in his 1990 book that Johnson had stolen the election in Jim Wells County 7 A stage play based on the scandal Box Thirteen by Jack Westin was performed at the College of the Mainland Community Theatre during the 1998 1999 season 8 In 2023 Associated Press reporter James Mangan donated to the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum taped interviews confirming the story that he recorded in 1977 Mangan was able to corroborate the story with Luis Salas who worked as an election judge in South Texas Salas told Mangan that the powerful South Texas political boss George B Parr ordered that some 200 votes be added to the totals for Box 13 Salas said he then watched as the names of individuals who had not voted were added to the tally sheet 9 References edit a b The Mystery of Ballot Box 13 Washington Post March 4 1990 Dale Baum and James L Hailey Autumn 1994 Lyndon Johnson s Victory in the 1948 Texas Senate Race A Reappraisal Political Science Quarterly 109 4 595 613 doi 10 2307 2151840 JSTOR 2151840 To the east in neighboring Jim Wells County home of the notorious Box 13 which happened to be the only box in the county dominated by Parr s operatives LBJ managed to acquire according to the estimates a four percentage point net gain over Stevenson or about only 387 votes of which at least two hundred were patently fraudulent Caro 1990 pp 360 361 Dallek 1991 p 346 Dallek 1991 p 340 Beschloss Michael Richard 2021 04 29 The Rachel Maddow Show for April 29 2021 The Rachel Maddow Show MSNBC Retrieved 2021 04 30 Woods 2006 p 217 Caro 1990 Hudson Angela June 11 1999 The Galveston Daily News from Galveston Texas on June 11 1999 Galveston Daily News p 21 Retrieved 26 January 2021 A Tommy Townsend left appears with Bill Low in a scene from the world premiere of Box Thirteen which is being performed at the College of the Mainland Arena Theatre through June 27 Stengle Angela April 1 2023 Window into history Tapes detail LBJ s stolen election AP News Retrieved April 2 2023 Works cited edit Caro Robert 1990 The Years of Lyndon Johnson Means of Ascent Alfred A Knopf ISBN 978 0394528359 Dallek Robert 1998 Flawed Giant Lyndon Johnson and His Times 1961 1973 Oxford University Press p 524 ISBN 978 0195054651 Frum David 2000 How We Got Here The 70s Basic Books ISBN 978 0 465 04195 4 Woods Randall 2006 LBJ Architect of American Ambition New York Free Press ISBN 978 0684834580 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Box 13 scandal amp oldid 1201866864, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
