Clayton Williams often had a propensity for making poorly planned statements on the campaign trail.
11 Facts About Clayton Williams
1.
2.
In 1957, Clayton Williams followed in the business of his father, beginning in the oil fields of West Texas as a lease broker.
3.
In January 2017, Clayton Williams Energy was sold to Noble Energy for $2.7 billion.
4.
Clayton Williams began his run for Governor of Texas as one of several Republicans looking to succeed outgoing Governor Bill Clements, who had been elected to a second, non-consecutive term in the 1986 election.
5.
Clayton Williams defeated a field of candidates for the nomination that included former US Representative and outgoing Railroad Commissioner Kent Hance of Lubbock, former Texas Secretary of State Jack Rains of Houston and Dallas lawyer Tom Luce.
6.
Clayton Williams spent freely from his personal fortune, running a "Good Old Boy" campaign initially appealing to conservatives.
7.
In one of his widely publicized missteps, Clayton Williams refused to shake hands with Ann Richards in a public debate, an act seen as uncouth.
8.
Clayton Williams expressed a lack of knowledge on the one constitutional amendment on the ballot and having not paid a cent of income tax in 1986.
9.
Clayton Williams raised over $300,000 for the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign.
10.
The campaign said it would not return the money Clayton Williams had raised, as it was donated by other individuals.
11.
Clayton Williams died of complications from pneumonia on February 14,2020.