[10] He became the first Republican governor of any former Confederate State since Alfred A. Taylor of Tennessee was defeated in 1922.
Incumbent governor Pat Brown (Democrat) was defeated in his bid for a third term by future U.S. president Ronald Reagan (Republican).
Starting in 1966, Florida held their four-year gubernatorial races in midterm years.
[12] In 1968, Florida adopted a new state constitution, and the governor now had the option to serve two four-year terms in a row.
[13][14] Maddox was elected by the State Legislature, and Callaway was the first Republican nominee for governor since 1876.