▁the ▁primary , ▁and ▁defeated ▁Republican ▁James ▁De vere ux , ▁a ▁Congress man ▁and ▁veter an ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁by ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁term . ▁ ▁The ▁beginning ▁of ▁T aw es ' ▁term ▁as ▁governor ▁was ▁benef ited ▁by ▁the ▁over wh el ming ▁Democratic ▁majority ▁present ▁in ▁both ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁Maryland ▁General ▁Assembly . ▁Se ek ing ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁state ' s ▁economy ▁following ▁a ▁re cess ion ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁T aw es ▁established ▁extensive ▁depart ments ▁and ▁ag encies ▁that ▁primarily ▁reg ulated ▁and ▁assist ed ▁agricult ure , ▁industry , ▁and ▁the ▁economy ▁in ▁general . ▁He ▁also ▁established ▁organizations ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁elder ly , ▁ins urance , ▁sav ings ▁and ▁lo ans , ▁and ▁justice . ▁Se ek ing ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁highway ▁system , ▁T aw es ▁create ▁the ▁State ▁Ro ads ▁Commission ▁that ▁added ▁over ▁a ▁thousand ▁miles ▁of ▁major ▁roads ▁and ▁high ways ▁to ▁the ▁state . ▁Conc ern ing ▁environmental ▁matters , ▁T aw es ▁established ▁programs ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁o yst er ▁population ▁within ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay , ▁established ▁several ▁island ▁nature ▁res erves , ▁and ▁double d ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁park ▁system . ▁He ▁also ▁worked ▁towards ▁reducing ▁water ▁poll ution ▁and ▁saving