The Texas campaign took place in two arenas: within the state GOP and before

the court of public opinion. Behind the scenes, Brownell once again relied on his top

state lieutenants, Colley Briggs and Hobart McDowell, to line up friendly individuals

for a statewide network. Since 1950, the political situation had become more

favorable to Briggs and McDowell after the death longtime Texas RNC member

Renfro B. Creager left a power vacuum at the top of the party. Harry Zweifel, state

party chair under Creager had been elevated to the RNC and the Dewey supporters

still remained on the outside.7 However, Brownell also had a new ally in the form of

Texas oil tycoon Jack Porter, who had joined the Creager faction in 1948 amidst

rumors that he had tried to buy control of the party. After Creager's death, Porter had

challenged Zweifel for the national committee seat but failed to make a serious

showing before the state committee.7 Rather than play along with Zweifel, Porter

fought the Old Guard and countered its efforts to support Senator Taft.77

 Porter's activities against Taft reflected both his view of Eisenhower's potential

popularity and his stance on the Tidelands Oil controversy. Porter became involved in

Republican politics after the Truman Administration had attempted to federalize the

mineral rights to offshore oil deposits that had traditionally been the jurisdiction of the

states. The Texas oil industry as a whole had opposed this and Governors Buford

Jester and Allan Shivers had openly protested to Truman, members of Congress, and



75 W. C. Briggs, Letter to Herbert Brownell, 28 October 1950. Copy in Folder (Br (1)), Box 24,
Brownell Papers.

76 Briggs confided to Brownell that Porter had not really put up a fight and that he was an" amateur and
knows nothing what ever about politics; just has a hell of a lot of money." W. C. Briggs, Letter to
Herbert Brownell, 20 November 1950. Copy in Folder (Br (1)), Box 24, Brownell Papers.

7 W.C. Briggs, Letter to Herbert Brownell, 20 April 1951. Copy in Folder (Br (1)), Box 24, Brownell
Papers. Up until November 1951, it was unclear as to whether Zweifel would support Taft or
Eisenhower. Porter, however, was committed to Eisenhower early on. See David Ingalls, Letter to
Walter Rogers, 13 November 1951. Copy in Folder (1952 Campaign- Texas L-Mc), Box 409, Taft
Papers.