Welford lost the three - way governor 's election to Langer .
He beat former Governor William Langer for the Republican gubernatorial nomination , but Langer refused to drop out , and entered the general election as an independent .
Welford lost the three - way governor 's election to Langer .
He beat former Governor William Langer for the Republican gubernatorial nomination , but Langer refused to drop out , and entered the general election as an independent .