2012 United States Senate election in Texas

Background

In an interview with Texas Monthly published in December 2007, incumbent U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated that she would not seek reelection and might also resign from the Senate as early as 2009 to run for Governor of Texas. After the 2008 elections, Hutchison formed an exploratory committee to run for the governorship in 2010. State Republican Party Chairman Cathie Adams later called upon Hutchison to clarify when she would vacate the Senate so that other Republican candidates could make preparations to run.

On December 4, 2008, Hutchison set up an exploratory committee, setting up a primary battle with incumbent Republican governor Rick Perry. Fellow Texas U.S. senator and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn tried to convince Hutchison to stay in the Senate, for fear of losing the seat to the Democrats. On January 15, 2009, Hutchison transferred nearly all the money, approximately $8 million, from her federal campaign account to her gubernatorial exploratory committee. On November 13, 2009, Hutchison announced that she would not resign from the Senate seat until after the primary on March 2, 2010.

Hutchison lost the gubernatorial primary to Perry and on March 31, 2010, she announced her intention to serve out her third term. On January 13, 2011, after some discussion about whether she would change her mind, Hutchison announced she would not seek re-election in 2012.

Requirements for nomination

Texas requires a majority for nomination, as well as a second round runoff between the two candidates with the two highest pluralities if none win a majority on the first round. No candidate won a majority in either 2012 major party first round primary, so both parties had a runoff on July 31, 2012.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Glenn Addison, funeral home owner
• Joe Agris, plastic surgeon
• Curt Cleaver, owner of a hotel sales, consulting, and management company
• Ted Cruz, former State Solicitor General
• David Dewhurst, Texas Lieutenant Governor
• Ben Gambini
• Charles Holcomb, retired judge from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• Craig James, sports commentator and former professional football player
• Tom Leppert, former mayor of Dallas
• Lela Pittenger, mediator

Withdrew

• Elizabeth Ames Jones, Texas Railroad Commissioner (ran for State Senate)
• Florence Shapiro, Texas state senator (later dropped out)
• Michael Williams, former Texas Railroad Commissioner (ran for U.S. House){{cite web |url= http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7621790.html
• Roger Williams, former Texas Secretary of State (ran for U.S. House)

Declined

• Kay Bailey Hutchison, incumbent U.S. senator
• Robert Paul, doctor and son of Ron Paul, and brother of U.S. Senator Rand Paul
• Ron Paul, U.S. representative from (ran for president)
• Dan Patrick, Texas state senator

Endorsements

• Sarah Palin, 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and former governor of Alaska

• Rand Paul, United States senator from Kentucky

• Pat Toomey, United States senator from Pennsylvania

• Justin Amash, United States Congressman from Michigan CD3

• Jim DeMint, United States senator from South Carolina

• Mike Lee, United States senator from Utah

• Ron Paul, United States Congressman from Texas CD14 and 2012 Republican presidential candidate

• Rick Santorum, former United States senator from Pennsylvania and 2012 Republican presidential candidate

• Edwin Meese, former United States Attorney General

• Cathie Adams, former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

• Tina Benkiser, former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

• George Strake, Jr., former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

• Mark Levin, conservative talk radio host

• Erick Erickson, American conservative blogger and managing editor of the prominent blog site RedState

• George P. Bush, co-founder of "Hispanic Republicans of Texas" and nephew of President George W. Bush

• Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association

• David Barton, founder of WallBuilders

• Dr. Robert P. George, professor of Princeton University and former chairman of the National Organization for Marriage

• Dr. James Dobson, psychologist, founder of Focus on the Family and Family Research Council

• Family Research Council

• Americans For Prosperity

• Concerned Women for America

• Republican Liberty Caucus

• Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative PAC

• FreedomWorks, conservative Tea Party group

• Sean Hannity, conservative talk radio and Fox News host

• Tea Party Conservative, conservative blog

• Tea Party Express

• Citizens United

• Gun Owners of America

• Young Conservatives of Texas

• Rick Perry, Governor of Texas and 2012 Republican presidential candidate

• James Inhofe, United States senator from Oklahoma

• Dallas Morning News,

• Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and 2008 presidential candidate

• Michael Reagan, conservative talk radio host

• Rick Scarborough, President of Vision America

• BEEF-PAC

• Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas

• Independent Bankers Association of Texas

• National Association of Realtors

• Texas Agricultural Aviation Association

• Texas Alliance for Life

• Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

• Texas Apartment Association

• Texas Association of Business

• Texas Association of Manufacturers

• Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association

• Texas Farm Bureau Friends of Agriculture Fund

• Texas Hospital Association

• Texas Medical Association

• Texas Municipal Police Association

• Texas Oil and Gas PAC

• Texas Poultry Federation

• Texas Restaurant Association

• Texas Retailers Association

• Texas Right to Life

• Texas Society of Professional Engineers

• Texas State Association of Fire Fighters

• Texas State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police

• Texas Wildlife Association

Polling

• Commissioned by David Dewhurst

With Dan Patrick

• Commissioned by Dan Patrick

Results

Runoff

Polling

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Filed

• Addie Allen, disaster assistance employee for the Department of Homeland Security
• Sean Hubbard, businessman
• Paul Sadler, attorney and former state Representative
• Grady Yarbrough, retired teacher

Withdrew

• Daniel Boone, retired Air Force Colonel (ran for U.S. House)
• Jason Gibson, president of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association (filed, but dropped out)
• Ricardo Sanchez, former United States Army Lieutenant General (dropped out)

Declined

• Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio
• Adrian Garcia, Harris County sheriff
• Ron Kirk, U.S. trade representative and former Mayor of Dallas
• Nick Lampson, former U.S. representative
• John Sharp, former Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Leticia Van de Putte, Texas state senator
• Bill White, former Mayor of Houston, originally announced that he would be running for the seat when it is vacated by Hutchison. On December 4, 2009, White announced that he was running for governor instead. After receiving the Democratic nomination for governor and losing the general election, White declared on November 15, 2010, that he would not run for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Polling

Results

Runoff

Libertarian Party nomination

The Libertarian Party was qualified for the ballot (based on its 2010 performance at the polls). The Texas Libertarian Party nominated John Jay Myers as its Senate candidate, using approval voting on June 9 at the state convention in Fort Worth. The nominating process followed a two-round debate featuring six candidates for the nomination.

Candidates

• Robert Butler
• Wayne Huffman
• Scott Jameson
• John Jay Myers, restaurant owner
• S. Ropal Raju
• Jon Roland

Results

Green Party nomination

The Green Party of Texas reported two candidates pre-selected at the June 9 convention: David B. Collins and Victoria Ann Zabaras. Collins was ultimately nominated (official blog).

General election

Candidates

• Ted Cruz, (Republican) former state solicitor general
• Paul Sadler, (Democratic) former state representative
• John Jay Myers, (Libertarian) restaurant owner
• David Collins (Green), IT service desk analyst
• Chris Tina Bruce (independent)
• Mike Champion (independent)

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 2, 2012 - C-SPAN
• Complete video of debate, October 19, 2012 - C-SPAN

Fundraising

Top contributors

Top industries

Predictions

Polling

with David Dewhurst

with Julian Castro

with Chet Edwards

with Sean Hubbard

with Tommy Lee Jones

with Paul Sadler

with Ricardo Sanchez

with John Sharp

with Bill White

Republican primary (when asked specifically, if Dewhurst were not running)

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Bexar (largest city: San Antonio)
• Cameron (largest community: Brownsville)
• Jefferson (largest city: Beaumont)
• Frio (largest municipality: Pearsall)
• Kleberg (largest municipality: Kingsville)
• La Salle (largest municipality: Cotulla)
• Val Verde (largest municipality: Del Rio)
• Culberson (largest municipality: Van Horn)
• Dallas (largest city: Dallas)

By congressional district

Cruz won 25 of 36 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.

Notes

References

References

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44. "Texas Apartment Association endorses Dewhurst for Senate".
45. "Texas Association of Business BACPAC endorses Dewhurst for U.S. Senate".
46. "Manufacturers Endorse Dewhurst for U.S. Senate".
47. "Texas Hospital Association HOSPAC endorses Dewhurst for U.S. Senate".
48. "Texas Retailers Association PAC endorses Dewhurst for U.S. Senate".
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59. Joe Agris 2%, Glenn Addison 1%, Charles Holcomb 0%
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61. Glenn Addison 1%, Curt Cleaver 0%, Charles Holcomb 0%, Other 19%
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65. Glenn Addison 2%, Joe Agris 1%, Curt Cleaver 1%, Ben Gambini 0%
66. "{{nowrap".
67. Glenn Addison 2%, Curt Cleaver 1%, Joe Agris 0%, Ben Gambini 0%
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71. Glenn Addison 2%, Lela Pittenger 0%
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102. Note: percentages add up to 143.1%, which corresponds to an average of 1.431 [[approval voting. approval votes]] per ballot.
103. "Texas Greens official website".
104. "TexasGreenCandidates.com".
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106. "Home Page".
107. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110421070013/http://fec.gov/disclosurehs/HSCandDetail.do Paul Sadler Campaign Finances]
108. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110421070013/http://fec.gov/disclosurehs/HSCandDetail.do Ted Cruz Campaign Finances]
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111. "Top Donors by Industry (opensecrets.org)".
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