Why Was Partisanship in Texas Judicial Elections Not an Issue

Why was partisanship in Texas judicial elections not an issue until 1978?

A) That was the year judicial elections shifted from nonpartisan to partisan.
B) That was the first year the Texas constitution permitted candidates to announce their party affiliations.
C) Up until that time, Texas was essentially a one-party state.
D) Even though they could, candidates typically ran without using party labels up until 1978.
E) It was the first year a third-party candidate won a seat in a Texas judicial election.