2002 Texas Senate election
The 2002 Texas Senate elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state senators in all 31 Senate districts. All of the seats up for this election, with half of the seats elected for two-year terms and the other half elected for four-year terms. The winners of this election served in the 78th Texas Legislature.
Following the [2000 Texas Texas Senate|Senate election|2000 elections], the Republicans maintained effective control of the Senate with sixteen members to the Democrats' fifteen.
To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to gain one seat. Instead, Republicans gained three seats.
Background
The Republican Party had held the State Senate since the 1996 elections. Due to the state's divided government after Democrats maintained control of the Texas House of Representatives in the 2000 elections, neither party held control over the redistricting process. During the 2001 regular session, the divided legislature failed to pass any redistricting plans. The task then fell to the Legislative Redistricting Board after Republican governor Rick Perry did not call a special session. Republicans controlled four of the five seats on the board, so Democrats tried to convince the Republican members of the board to adopt a plan that would keep the partisan balance of the legislature intact. While Republican lieutenant governor Bill Ratliff was open to such a plan, the majority of the board pushed for a plan that heavily favored Republicans.
Results
Republicans major gains in the Texas Senate in 2002, flipping three seats from the Democrats. In addition to their victory in the concurrent elections for the Texas House, Republicans won a government trifecta for the first time since Reconstruction.
Notable races
District 2
Incumbent Democratic senator David Cain sought re-election, but he lost to Republican Bob Deuell in a rematch of the 2000 election, which Cain had narrowly won.
District 18
Incumbent Democratic senator Ken Armbrister ran for re-election. District 18, centered around Victoria, voted strongly for President George W. Bush during his gubernatorial elections and in the 2000 presidential election. Armbrister was considered the most conservative Democrat in the Senate and had endorsed and openly campaigned for Bush during his presidential run, although he did not consider switching parties. He won re-election.