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TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1977
Hill launches ‘unofficiaF campaign
United Press International
AUSTIN — In 1968 Texas radios
aired a parrot-like jingle telling lis
teners “John Hill will, John Hill
will,” the idea being make Hill your
>vernor and he will make your state
a better place to live.
Nine years later bumper stickers
and flyers are announcing, in so
any words, “John Hill is.”
Is what?
Is running for governor — that’s
what. And most likely his main op
ponent will be incumbent Gov.
Tolph Briscoe.
When he first took office as attor-
icy general in 1972, Hill said he was
no longer interested in being gov
ernor for the sake of being governor.
It will depend on the challenge at the
tame.”
Hill now says the challenges are in
the state’s highest office.
He hasn’t announced his inten
tions yet — officially — but he let
reporters know last year he would
make an official announcement this
summer after the 65th Legislature
adjourns.
Since then Hill leased a campaign
headquarters within walking dis
tance of his state office and hired
John Rogers, who guided Hill’s suc
cessful 1972 race for attorney gen
eral, to run it. He appointed former
speaker Price Daniel Jr., who want’s
Hill’s present job, as his treasurer.
Bob Hiller, well-known political
public relations man from Houston
was hired for media consulatation
and advertising.
Small bumper stickers have ap
peared asking drivers to “Elect John
Hill” and three-page flyers listing
Hill’s virtues and accomplishments
urge Democratic party leaders to
join the John Hill Adivsory Commit
tee.
The number of press conferences
called by the attorney general has
increased to the point of alienating
capitol reporters who have begun to
question the purpose of the meet
ings.
And, last week. Hill fired the
opening salvos in the coming cam
paign with an attack on part of Bris
coe’s energy policy.
A group called Moderate Demo
crats of Texas formed in March and
announced “we believe John Hill
will be the next governor” and “get
ting him elected is our first objec
tive.”
Although about half of his
$100,000 campaign treasury was do
nated by Houston businessmen,
Hill, one of the most successful trial
lawyers in the state, gathers most of
his support from the influential and
wealthy trail lawyers.
His courtroom experience earned
the support of rank-and-file labor
and Rogers formerly was legislative
director of the Texas AFL-CIO. Hill
also has interests and friends in oil
and banking.
The attorney general said he has
decided to drop his empahsis on
leadership in this campaign to let
others lead.
“I tried in ’68 to be the organizer,
the executive director, the P.R. per
son and all, and the result was that it
hurt in being as good a candidate as I
could have been,” he said. “This
time. I’ll try to have good people,
and just let them advise me.”
Apart from the thrust at Briscoe’s
energy program last week, Hill has
made vague references to the lack of
leadership in the governor’s office
and Secretary of State Mark White,
Others said Hill was too ami
ous, too pushy.
“I don’t think there was any!
of anti-Hill movement; maybeJj
expected more than he was to
ceive as Connally’s secretary
state,” a former Connally aidess
“I was a political novice,”!
said. “I knew something
eminent and I came to the secret
of state’s office prepared to wort
that office, but as far as
didn’t know beans about it. lUj
stressful first year.”
Hill entered the 1968 govern) Drake Rel;
race,
other
finishing fifth among set
Democratic primary c«
dates, including Briscoe. HeU to spare
. • 11. > r
to receive Connally’s endorseme
but the governor’s support wee
longtime friend and political
Eugene Locke.
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JOHN HILL
Bricoe’s protege and reportedly a
candidate for Hill’s job, has accused
Hill of trying to establish a “police
state” through his Organized Crime
Strike Force.
Hill is a bit of a maverick among
Texas Democrats, being more at
tuned to modern political trends and
more associated with the new breed
of left-leaning party members.
However, he has several, power
ful conservative friends, including
former Gov. Allan Shivers.
“It’s obviously a changing picture.
You don’t even know what’s going to
happen in the governor’s office after
the legislature,” Hill said in a recent
interview.
“I do see a lot of vital programs in
the state that are not receiving the
forward thrust they deserve that I
cannot have an impact on as attorney
general, but that as governor I
could.”
Reform will not be one of his cam
paign promises, said Hill, who is
confining his plans to wanting to ex
pand the governor’s control over the
budget and the power to remove
political appointments.
“Any chief executive ought to
have more impact on the budget
than the Texas governor has,” he
said. “And there ought to be some
way out of a bad appointment — we
all make mistakes.”
Hill said ht
power” used
dislikes the word
i reference to the
governor’s office, choosing “respon
sibility.”
“I do not view it as a weak office
but it should be limited to two four-
year terms, he said.
Political observers expect nothing
short of all-out war between Hill and
Briscoe, both of whom are tough
campaigners. The governor has not
announced for reelection , but Cal
vin Guest, state Democratic party
chairman and Briscoe’s friend and
political collague, earlier this year
announced for him.
Hill became a millionaire as a
plaintiffs attorney in Houston and
became interested in politics. He
helped Harris County efforts to elect
John Connally governor in 1962, and
two years later managed the county
reelection campaign for Connally.
When Crawford Martin retired as
secretary of state to run for attorney
general, Connally named Hill to
succeed Martin.
Hill worked diligently for Con
nally in the ’60 s, but never gained a
seat in the governor’s jealously
guarded inner circle.
“Connally’s guys saw him coming,
and they didn’t want any more
players, so they shut him off. John
really got bitter,” a friend of Hill’s
from his secretary of state days said.
‘It was a temporary disapp®
ment,” Hill said. “I don’t liketoh
but at the same time, I don't
that as a sad period.”
He recovered from the 1961
feat and ran against Martin ii
1972 race for attorney general,
won the election by a handli!
votes with a hard-hitting campj
linking Martin with the Sharps
scandal.
“This office fits me wellandll
well-trained for it. I was e
this office,’’ Hill said, slapping
hand several times on hisofficede
“I was not Gov. Connally’sprotegi
was John Hill. Myplatformwi
Hill.
Hill, who says he has accoi
plished his goal to make the attorn
general’s office "the best lawoffe
the state,” commands a highlyp
fessional and capable staff, peri
the best in the state’s history,
Hill said politics has been as
satisfying way of life, addinghin
and three grown children have!
few complaints.
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