Bush and Eggers Rally in Longview (1970)

Duration: 7:18

Year Published: 1970

Sound: sound

Description: On October 28, 1970, President Richard Nixon arrived in Texas to campaign for Republican candidates, including then US Congressman George H. W. Bush—running for US Senate—and gubernatorial nominee Paul Eggers. An estimated crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 people attended a joint rally for the Texas candidates in Longview. Later that day, Nixon traveled to Dallas for a similarly packed political event at Market Hall. Senator John Tower of Texas served as master of ceremonies at both rallies. The president’s visit was part of a two-day, four-stop tour—or “rescue mission,” as Nixon reportedly said during his speeches—to endorse Republican senators in Florida and Texas in the days leading up to the November election. Facing Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress, the president sought to strengthen his party’s influence with Republican wins in the midterm elections. Bush and Eggers were both defeated. In this raw news footage for Houston’s KPRC-TV, reporter Kay Bailey assesses the scene at Longview’s Gregg County Airport as supporters await Nixon’s arrival. Later, Eggers, Bush, and Nixon take the stage to separately address the crowd assembled on the tarmac.