b. 1923 – Uvalde, Texas
Governor: 1973–1979
Briscoe graduated valedictorian of Uvalde High School and earned a degree from the University of Texas before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he returned to South Texas to ranch. As president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association he focused on the eradication of screwworms. A conservative Democrat, Briscoe served in the Texas House from 1948–1957, during which he promoted the farm-to-market road system.
He was defeated by Preston Smith in his run for governor in 1968, however, he won in 1972, defeating incumbent Smith. Two of his goals were to restore confidence in state government following the Sharpstown scandal and to safeguard state government services without tax increases. He secured state funding for education and highway improvements and passed The Texas Open Records Act to provide public access to state government records. Briscoe was the first governor to serve a four-year term. He was defeated by John Hill in the primaries who lost the general election to Republican Bill Clements. Briscoe returned to Uvalde and established an endowment at the Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.