2012 United States Senate election in Texas


The 2012 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 6, 2012, along with other elections to the United States Senate the United States House of Representatives in additional states. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison decided to retire instead of running for re-election to a fourth full term.
Libertarian John Jay Myers was elected by nomination at the Texas Libertarian Party State Convention on June 8, 2012. After the first round of primary voting on May 29, 2012, a runoff was held on July 31, 2012 for both the Democratic and Republican parties. Former state representative Paul Sadler and former state solicitor general Ted Cruz respectively won the Democratic and Republican runoffs, and Cruz won the general election by a wide margin.

Background

In an interview with Texas Monthly published in December 2007, incumbent senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated that she would not seek re-election 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 governor 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 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, and 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

Polling

Poll sourceTed
Cruz		David
Dewhurst		Elizabeth
Tom
Leppert		Dan
Patrick		Michael
Williams		Roger
Williams		OtherUndecided
January 14–16, 2011400±4.9%3%23%6%3%—3%1%42%19%
February 11–17, 2011374±5.07%3%27%2%–—5%2%9%52%
May 11–18, 2011388±4.98%2%25%1%4%—6%2%——
May 24–31, 2011147±8.08%1%27%2%3%—0%4%3%56%
June 4–5, 2011450±4.62%2%—4%11%19%—6%—58%
June 4–5, 2011450±4.62%6%———29%———64%
June 25–27, 2011400±4.9%11%40%3%5%11%—2%2%26%
September 15–18, 2011400±4.9%12%41%7%6%————34%
October 19–26, 2011800±4.93%10%22%2%5%———12%50%

Runoff

Polling

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Filed


Hypothetical polling		---------

Results

Runoff

Libertarian Party nomination

The Libertarian Party was qualified for the ballot. 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.

General election

Candidates

  • Ted Cruz, former State Solicitor General
  • Paul Sadler, former State Representative
  • John Jay Myers, restaurant owner
  • David Collins, IT service desk analyst
  • Chris Tina Bruce
  • Mike Champion

    Debates

  • , October 2, 2012 - C-SPAN
  • , October 19, 2012 - C-SPAN

    Fundraising

Top contributors

Paul SadlerContributionTed CruzContribution
Communications Workers of America$5,000Club for Growth$659,777
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers$5,000Senate Conservatives Fund$200,549
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers$5,000Morgan, Lewis & Bockius$41,600
United Transportation Union$5,000Goldman Sachs$40,750
Velvin Oil Co$5,000RE Janes Gravel Co$37,500
3-D Secure$2,500Woodforest National Bank$37,000
American Federation of Teachers$2,500Jones Day$34,900
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers$2,500Bartlit, Beck, Herman, Palenchar & Scott$36,350
Galyean Lp$2,500Baker Botts$32,313
University of Houston$2,500Crow Holdings$30,000

Top industries

Paul SadlerContributionTed CruzContribution
Industrial unions$15,000Republican/Conservative$825,098
Lawyers/law firms$9,000Lawyers/law firms$551,662
Transportation unions$7,500Retired$437,961
Retired$7,500Oil and gas$325,850
Public sector unions$2,500Financial institutions$305,110
Financial institutions$2,500Real estate$240,300
Education$2,500Leadership PACs$235,549
Candidate committees$2,000Misc finance$185,700
Lobbyists$1,000Health professionals$155,880
Civil servants/public officials$500Misc business$148,874

Predictions

Polling


Hypothetical polling		-------

with David Dewhurst

Results

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