For seven years , Meyer was the Republican chairman of Dallas County ; under his tenure the county became heavily Republican in orientation for two decades but reverted to Democratic majority strength in 2006 . In 1972 , Meyer was the campaign manager in the long-shot race waged by Alan Steelman , a young Republican who unseated Earle Cabell as U.S. representative for Texas 's 3rd congressional district , a post once held by the earlier Republican Bruce Alger . Cabell was also a former mayor of Dallas . Steelman , . however , gave up the seat in 1976 in a losing bid against Democratic U.S. Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen . In 1984 , Meyer as chairman of the host committee worked to bring the Republican National Convention to Dallas . He lost a nonpartisan race himself in 1987 for mayor of Dallas to the Democrat Annette Strauss but became state chairman the next year for the first of three two-year terms . He helped Vice President George Bush win the presidency over Michael Dukakis , with their old mutual rival , Lloyd Bentsen , seeking to succeed Bush as vice president but losing out to Republican nominee Dan Quayle
Republican National Convention
1984 Republican National Convention
Fred Meyer (politician)