2012 Texas elections


Elections were held in Texas on November 6, 2012. Primary elections took place on May 29, 2012. Runoff elections took place on July 31, 2012.

Federal offices

President of the United States

Texas had 38 electoral votes in the Electoral College, which went to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

United States Class I Senate Seat

Incumbent Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison retired and did not seek re-election for a fourth full term. Republican Ted Cruz won the seat, defeating Democrat Paul Sadler.

United States House of Representatives

There were 36 U.S. Representative seats up for election in Texas; four more seats than in the 2010 election. The Republican Party won 24 seats, while the Democrats won 12.

Executive

Railroad commissioner

Incumbent Buddy Garcia, who was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to fill the vacancy left by Elizabeth Ames Jones, did not seek re-election. Republican Christi Craddick won the election for a six-year term.

Republican primary

Candidates
Runoff results

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Results

Railroad commissioner (unexpired term)

Incumbent Barry T. Smitherman was elected to the remaining two years of a six-year term following his appointment to fill the vacancy left by Michael L. Williams, who resigned to contest for the United States House of Representatives.

Republican primary

Candidates
  • Al Lee, retired systems consultant
  • Elizabeth Murray-Kolb, attorney
  • Greg Parker, Comal County commissioner
  • Barry T. Smitherman, incumbent railroad commissioner
    Primary results
Runoff results

General election

Results

Judicial

Supreme Court

Place 2

Incumbent Justice Don Willett was re-elected to a second six-year term.
Republican primary
Candidates
General election
Results

Place 4

Incumbent Justice David M. Medina lost renomination in the Republican primary to John P. Devine, who would go on to win the election and a six-year-term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Runoff results
General election
Results

Place 6

Incumbent Justice Nathan Hecht was re-elected to a fifth six-year term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Michele Petty, attorney
    Primary results
General election
Results

Court of Criminal Appeals

Presiding judge

Incumbent Presiding Judge Sharon Keller was re-elected to a fourth six-year-term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Keith Hampton, defense lawyer
    Primary results
General election
Results

Place 7

Incumbent Judge Barbara Parker Hervey was re-elected for a third six-year-term.
Republican primary
Candidates
General election
Results

Place 8

Incumbent Judge Elsa Alcala was appointed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011, following the stepping-down of Charles Holcomb. Alcala was elected to a six-year-term.
Republican primary
Candidates
General election
Results

State Board of Education

All 15 districts of the Texas Board of Education were up for election.

District 8

State legislature

All 31 seats in the Texas State Senate and all 150 seats in the Texas House of Representatives were up for election. Elected senators and representatives served in the 83rd Texas Legislature.

Texas Senate

All 31 seats of the Texas Senate were up for election. No seats changed hands, with the Republican Party retained a 19-seat majority over the Democrat's 12 seats.

Texas House of Representatives

All 150 seats of the Texas House of Representatives were up for election. The Democratic Party won seven seats, giving them 55 seats to the Republican's majority of 95.

Local elections