2010 Texas Election
November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02)

Elections were held in Texas on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Primary elections were held on March 2, 2010.

The Republican Party continued its dominance over Texas politics, maintaining control of all statewide offices and increasing its majorities in both chambers of the Texas Legislature. The GOP also picked up control of three additional seats in the United States House of Representatives.

Federal

United States House of Representatives

All 32 Texas seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.

State

Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry ran for re-election against Democratic challenger and former mayor of Houston Bill White and several third-party candidates, and won.

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst ran for re-election and won.

Attorney general

2010 Texas Attorney General Election
November 2, 2010
 
Nominee Greg Abbott Barbara Ann Radnofsky
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 3,151,064 1,655,859
Percentage 64.06% 33.66%
County results
Abbott:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      90-100%
Radnofsky:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      80-90%
Attorney General before election

Greg Abbott
Republican

 Elected Attorney General

Greg Abbott
Republican

Incumbent Republican Greg Abbott ran for re-election as Texas Attorney General against Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky and Libertarian candidate Jon Roland, and won.

State senate

Approximately half of the 31 seats of the Texas Senate were up for election in 2010.

State House of Representatives

All 150 seats in the Texas House of Representatives were up for election in 2010. The GOP captured 99 seats (a record), including 22 that were held by Democrats after the 2008 Texas House of Representatives election. This left the Democrats with 51 seats. Edmund Kuempel, the incumbent GOP candidate for District 44 seat, subsequently died; the seat was filled by special election on December 14 and won by his son, John, also a Republican. Also on December 14, two Democrats (Allan Ritter and Aaron Peña) announced they were switching parties and joining the Republicans, thus giving the GOP 101 seats, and a 2/3 majority in the House, giving them considerable leverage.[1][2] Under Texas law, any bill which passes with 2/3 of both legislative chambers can become effective immediately upon the governor's signature (otherwise a bill does not become effective until September 1, the start of Texas' fiscal year). This also meant that the Democrats could not quorum bust, or deprive the House of the 2/3 of members required for operation.[3]

Other state offices

Elections were held for the positions of Comptroller of Public Accounts, Commissioner of General Land Office, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Railroad Commissioner in 2010.

Legislative elections

Texas House of Representatives

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
Beginning of the 81st legislature 76 74 150 0
Before 2010 elections 77 72 149 1
Voting share 51% 48%
After 2010 elections 99 51 150 0
Beginning of the 82nd legislature 101 49 150 0
Voting share 67% 33%

Texas Senate

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
Before 2010 elections 19 12 31 0
Voting share 61% 39%
After 2010 elections 19 12 31 0
Voting share 61% 39%

Judicial positions

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2010, including three justices on the Texas Supreme Court.

Ballot measures

There are no statewide ballot measures in Texas in 2010.

Local

Many elections for county and city offices were also held on November 2, 2010.

References

  1. ↑ Ramsey, Ross (December 12, 2010). "TribBlog: Ritter Confirms He's Switching Parties". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ Hamilton, Reeve (December 14, 2010). "TribBlog: Peña on Party Switching". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  3. ↑ "THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 3. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT". statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
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