Clayton Williams

Clayton Williams
Born	Clayton Wheat Williams Jr. (1931-10-08) 8 October 1931
Died	14 February 2020(2020-02-14) (aged 88)
Other names	Claytie Williams
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, oilman, politician
Years active	1957–2020
Known for	1990 Texas gubernatorial election Republican nominee; founder of Clayton Williams Energy, Inc.

Clayton Wheat "Claytie" Williams Jr. (October 8, 1931 – February 14, 2020) was a prominent American entrepreneur based in Midland, Texas who contested the Texas gubernatorial election in 1990. After securing the Republican nomination, he initially held a substantial lead of twenty points over Democratic contender Ann Richards but ultimately lost, partly due to a contentious remark concerning rape. Williams projected a rugged cowboy persona as a self-made oil magnate, which appealed to many voters despite his frequent campaign blunders.

Early life

Williams earned his degree in animal husbandry from Texas A&M University in 1954 and subsequently served in the United States Army, following in the footsteps of his father who had served during World War I.

Career

Starting in 1957, Williams embarked on a career in the oil sector as a lease broker in West Texas. He developed various petroleum enterprises specializing in natural gas exploration, production, transportation, and processing. In 1993, he took his company, Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., public.

In addition to energy, he expanded into agriculture, ranching, real estate, banking, and telecommunications. He founded a long-distance phone company called ClayDesta, named after himself and his wife Modesta. Williams also spent six years teaching at the Texas A&M College of Business Administration and held the position of vice president and director of the Association of Former Students at Texas A&M in 1977.

In January 2017, Noble Energy acquired Clayton Williams Energy for $2.7 billion.

1990 Texas gubernatorial race

Williams entered the race for Governor of Texas aiming to replace incumbent Governor Bill Clements, who chose not to seek a third term amid controversy involving a pay-for-play scandal at Southern Methodist University, where Clements had been on the Board of Governors.

He secured the Republican nomination against opponents such as former U.S. Representative and Railroad Commissioner Kent Hance, ex-Texas Secretary of State Jack Rains, and attorney Tom Luce. Utilizing significant personal funding, Williams ran a campaign appealing to conservative voters under a "Good Old Boy" image. Early polling showed him leading by double digits in what national media dubbed "Claytie vs. The Lady." A win would have made him only the second Republican governor in Texas since the Reconstruction period after Clements.

Nonetheless, his campaign was hindered by several gaffes including refusing to shake hands with Ann Richards during a debate, admitting unfamiliarity with an important constitutional amendment, and disclosing that he had not paid income tax in 1986. Most notably, he compared rape to adverse weather by saying: "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it," which provoked widespread condemnation. Additionally, reports emerged regarding his visits to brothels during his college years.

These controversies led to negative media coverage including a parody commercial titled "Satan Williams" aired on Dallas/Fort Worth public television. Despite outspending Richards nearly twofold and maintaining an 11-point lead as late as August, Williams was defeated. Exit polls revealed that many voters shifted their support to Richards during the final month. In conceding defeat, Williams kept a lighthearted tone but ruled out immediate future campaigns with the remark, "I may be an Aggie, but I am not crazy."

Additional political involvement

Williams contributed more than $300,000 to John McCain's 2008 presidential bid. Nevertheless, a fundraising event planned at his residence on June 16, 2008, was suddenly postponed and moved after ABC News brought to the McCain campaign's attention Williams' contentious remarks about rape made in 1990. The campaign denounced these statements as "highly offensive," yet clarified that it would retain the funds Williams had raised, since the contributions originated from other donors.

In 2012, Williams made a $1 million donation to American Crossroads. He passed away due to pneumonia-related complications on February 14, 2020.

References

• Texas House of Representatives Resolution 845, honoring Williams upon his induction into the Petroleum Hall of Fame, adopted March 31, 2005.
• Cochran, Mike. Claytie: The Roller-Coaster Life of a Texas Wildcatter, 2007.

External links

• Clayton Williams Energy, Inc.