[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ardy Hollers began his bid for Lyndon Johnson’s congressional seat on May 13, 1946 with these fighting words: “He went on a few months’ sightseeing tour of the Pacific with a camera in one hand and leading his publicity agent by the other.”
For the past year, LBJ had thought about running for governor instead of a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, an opinion poll persuaded him to play it safe. Even though the 37 year old politician was the first choice of prospective voters in 23 towns, his 22-percent share in the field of six made him think twice about a statewide race.
Johnson warned of a sinister scheme to unseat him in a telegram to the Austin American in April 1946. With the “support of the same oil crowd that tried to defeat me two years ago,” veterans would declare their candidacies in each of the ten Hill Country counties in his district with nine dropping out at the last minute in favor of the strongest.
