▁returns ▁of ▁Lim estone , ▁Bra zos , ▁B owie , ▁and ▁Mar ion ▁count ies , ▁on ▁spe cious ▁grounds . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁Davis ▁was ▁defeated ▁for ▁re e lection ▁by ▁Dem ocrat ▁Richard ▁Co ke ▁( 4 2 , 6 3 3 ▁votes ▁to ▁ 8 5 , 5 4 9 ▁votes ) ▁in ▁an ▁election ▁marked ▁by ▁irregular ities . ▁Davis ▁cont ested ▁the ▁results ▁and ▁refused ▁to ▁leave ▁his ▁office ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁floor ▁of ▁the ▁Capit ol . ▁Democratic ▁law m akers ▁and ▁Governor - elect ▁Co ke ▁reported ly ▁had ▁to ▁clim b ▁l add ers ▁to ▁the ▁Capit ol ' s ▁second ▁story ▁where ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁conven ed . ▁ ▁When ▁President ▁Grant ▁refused ▁to ▁send ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁defeated ▁governor ' s ▁rescue , ▁Davis ▁rel uct antly ▁left ▁the ▁capital ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁locked ▁the ▁door ▁to ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁office ▁and ▁took ▁the ▁key , ▁forcing ▁Co ke ' s ▁supp or ters ▁to ▁break ▁in ▁with ▁an ▁ax e . ▁ ▁John ▁Hen ninger ▁Re agan ▁helped ▁to ▁ou st ▁him ▁after ▁he ▁tried ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁office ▁beyond ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁term . ▁▁ ▁Davis ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁Republican ▁governor ▁of ▁Texas ▁until ▁Republican ▁Bill ▁Clement s ▁defeated ▁the ▁Dem ocrat ▁John ▁Luke ▁Hill ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁assumed ▁the ▁governor ship ▁the ▁following ▁January , ▁ 1 0 5 ▁years ▁after