Republicans tried to delay release of US hostages to sabotage Carter, ex-aide claims – report

Former Texas governor urged Middle Eastern leaders to convince Iran not to release hostages before 1980 election

A former Texas governor met Middle Eastern leaders in 1980 to convince Iran to delay releasing American hostages as part of a Republican effort to sabotage Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign, according to a news report.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that John Connally, who served as Texas's Democratic governor from 1963 to 1969 and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1980, traveled to a number of countries in the summer leading up to the 1980 election.