The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican governor Rick Perry ran successfully for election to a third consecutive term. He won the Republican primary against U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina. The former mayor of Houston, Bill White, won the Democratic nomination. Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas attorney general, won the Libertarian nomination. Deb Shafto was the nominee of the Texas Green Party. Andy Barron, an orthodontist from Lubbock, was a declared write-in candidate.
Exit polls showed Perry winning Whites (71% to 29%), while White performed well among African Americans (88% to 12%) and Latinos (61% to 38%). Perry's fourth inauguration for a third full four-year term began on January 18, 2011, on the State Capitol South Grounds. As of 2023, this is the last time Foard, Falls, Trinity, Reeves, La Salle and Kleberg counties voted for the Democratic candidate for governor.
The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican governor Rick Perry ran successfully for election to a third consecutive term. He won the Republican primary against U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina. The former mayor of Houston, Bill White, won the Democratic nomination. Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas attorney general, won the Libertarian nomination. Deb Shafto was the nominee of the Texas Green Party. Andy Barron, an orthodontist from Lubbock, was a declared write-in candidate.
Exit polls showed Perry winning Whites (71% to 29%), while White performed well among African Americans (88% to 12%) and Latinos (61% to 38%). Perry's fourth inauguration for a third full four-year term began on January 18, 2011, on the State Capitol South Grounds. As of 2026, this is the last time Foard, Falls, Trinity, and Reeves counties voted for the Democratic candidate for governor.
Republican primary
Candidates
Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. senator
Debra Medina, political activist
Rick Perry, incumbent governor
Endorsements
Rick Perry
Statewide officials
Haley Barbour, governor of Mississippi
Bill Clements, former governor of Texas (1979–1983, 1987–1991)
Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate
Local officials
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City (1994–2001)
Individuals
David Barton, businessman and former Texas GOP vice chairman
Bill Bennett, former United States Secretary of Education
Brent Bozell, activist and businessman
James Dobson, author and evangelist
Tom Hicks, businessman
Art Laffer, economic advisor
Grover Norquist, activist
Tom Pauken, former chair of the Republican Party of Texas
Tony Perkins, PAC executive
T. Boone Pickens, businessman
Michael Reagan, radio commentator
Phyllis Schlafly, activist and attorney
Organizations
Citizens Against Government Waste PAC
NRA Political Victory Fund
Texas Alliance for Life
Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association PAC
Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Executive officials
James Baker, former US Secretary of State
George H. W. Bush, former president of the United States
Dick Cheney, former vice president of the United States
Margaret Spellings, former United States Secretary of Education
Federal officials
Dick Armey, former U.S. congressman and House majority leader from Texas's 26th congressional district
John Carter, U.S. congressman from Texas's 31st congressional district
John Culberson, U.S. congressman from Texas's 7th congressional district
Phil Gramm, former U.S. senator from Texas
Kay Granger, U.S. representative from Texas's 12th congressional district
Randy Neugebauer, U.S. congressman from Texas's 19th congressional district
Ted Poe, U.S. representative from Texas's 2nd congressional district
Individuals
Barbara Bush, former first lady of the United States
John L. Nau, former chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Nolan Ryan, former Texas Rangers pitcher
Roger Staubach, businessman, former US Navy officer and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Newspapers and publications
Amarillo Globe News
Austin American-Statesman
Beaumont Enterprise
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Daily Texan
Dallas Morning News
The Eagle
The El Paso Times
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Houston Chronicle
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Marshall News Messenger
San Antonio Express-News
Wichita Falls Times Record News
Polling
Note: polls used different sample sizes and citizen groups. A candidate must have a majority of the vote (>50%) to avoid a runoff with their second place opponent.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
Alma Ludivina Aguado, physician
Felix Alvarado, educator and U.S. Air Force veteran
Bill Dear, private investigator
Clement E. Glenn, associate professor of education at Prairie View A&M University
Star Locke, homebuilder
Farouk Shami, businessman
Bill White, former mayor of Houston
Withdrew
Tom Schieffer, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan & U.S. Ambassador to Australia
Endorsements
Bill White
Executive officials
Henry Cisneros, former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Bill Clinton, former president of the United States
Tom Schieffer, former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia
Federal officials
Lloyd Doggett, U.S. congressman from Texas's 25th congressional district
Rubén Hinojosa, U.S. representative from Texas's 15th congressional district
Statewide officials
Pete Laney, former speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
Mark White, former governor of Texas
State officials
Alma Allen, state representative - Houston
Carol Alvarado, state representative - Houston
Rafael Anchia, state representative - Dallas
Joe Bernal, former state senator
Valinda Bolton, state representative
Barbara Mallory Caraway, state representative - Dallas
Joaquin Castro, state representative - San Antonio
Norma Chavez, state representative - El Paso
Ellen Cohen, state representative - Houston
Garnet Coleman, state representative - Houston
John Cook, El Paso mayor
Jim Dunnam, state representative - Waco
Veronica Escobar, El Paso County commissioner
David Farabee, state representative - Wichita Falls
Joe Farias, state representative - San Antonio
Jessica Farrar, state representative - Houston
Pete Gallego, state representative - Presidio
Helen Giddings, state representative - DeSoto
Ana Hernandez, state representative - Houston
Abel Herrero, state representative - Robstown
Juan Hinojosa, state senator - Corpus Christi
Scott Hochberg, state representative - Houston
Donna Howard, state representative - Austin
Eddie Lucio, state representative - Brownsville
Diana Maldonado, state representative - Austin
Marisa Marquez, state representative - El Paso
Ruth Jones McClendon, state representative - San Antonio
Jose Menendez, state representative - San Antonio
Joe Moody, state representative - El Paso
Paul Moreno, former state representative
Elliott Naishtat, state representative - Austin
Rick Noriega, United States Senate election in Texas, 2008 Democratic candidate and former state representative
René Oliveira, state representative - Brownsville
Paula Pierson, state representative - Arlington
Chente Quintanilla, state representative - El Paso
Richard Raymond, state representative - Laredo
Eddie Rodriguez, state representative - Austin
Patrick Rose, state representative - San Marcos
Eliot Shapleigh, state senator - El Paso
Mark Strama, state representative - Austin
Chris Thibaut, state representative - Houston
Chris Turner, state representative - Burleson
Sylvester Turner, state representative - Houston
Carlos Uresti, state senator - Monahans
Leticia Van de Putte, state senator - San Antonio
Marc Veasey, state representative - Fort Worth
Mike Villarreal, state representative - San Antonio
Hubert Vo, state representative - Houston
Armando Walle, state representative - Houston
Kirk Watson, state senator - Austin
Local officials
Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Phil Hardberger, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Lee Leffingwell, mayor of Austin, Texas
Annise Parker, mayor of Houston, Texas
Nelson Wolff, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Newspapers and publications
Austin-American Statesman
Houston Chronicle
Polling
* Dropped out prior to the primary.
General election
Candidates
Andy Barron (write-in), orthodontist
Kathie Glass (L), attorney
Rick Perry (R), incumbent governor
Deb Shafto (G), educator
Bill White (D), former Houston mayor
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Bee (largest city: Beeville)
Fisher (largest city: Rotan)
Haskell (largest city: Haskell)
Marion (largest city: Jefferson)
Morris (largest city: Daingerfield)
Newton (largest city: Newton)
Calhoun (largest city: Port Lavaca)
Bastrop (largest city: Elgin)
Stonewall (largest city: Aspermont)
Swisher (largest city: Tulia)
Crosby (largest city: Crosbyton)
Red River (largest city: Clarksville)
Jefferson (largest city: Beaumont)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Bexar (largest city: San Antonio)
Cameron (largest city: Brownsville)
Culberson (largest municipality: Van Horn)
Harris (largest municipality: Houston)
Kleberg (largest municipality: Kingsville)
Trinity (largest city: Trinity)
Counties that flipped from Independent to Democratic
Falls (largest city: Marlin)
Counties that flipped from Independent to Republican
Nolan (largest city: Sweetwater)
Cooke (largest city: Gainesville)
Goliad (largest city: Goliad)
Wilson (largest city: Floresville)
Wharton (largest city: El Campo)
Analysis
Texas does not have term limits for its governors; thus, gubernatorial incumbents have been free to run as often as they want, if they are eligible for the office. The Republicans and Democrats chose their gubernatorial nominees based on the results of primary votes held on March 2, 2010 (the first Tuesday in March). Both parties' candidates received at least 20 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 election; thus, they must nominate their candidates via primary election. Any third party that obtains ballot access must nominate its candidates via a statewide convention, which by law must be held on June 12, 2010 (the second Saturday in June). The Libertarian Party obtained ballot access automatically due to its 2008 showing, in which one of its nominees attracted over one million votes.
In the primary election, the party's winning candidate must garner a majority (over 50%) of votes cast; otherwise, the top two candidates face each other in a runoff election. However, in the general election, the winning candidate needs only a plurality of votes to be elected governor (as was the case with the 2006 election and the 1990 election, in which Libertarian Jeff Daiell attracted over 129,000 votes). Independent and write-in candidates may seek ballot access; however, the criteria for such access are quite strict (see "Ballot Access" below). Nevertheless, in the 2006 election, two independent candidates, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the Republican State Comptroller, and Kinky Friedman, a popular Texas country musician, obtained enough signatures to qualify. The Libertarian nominee, James Werner, was on the ballot automatically because of that party's Texas showing in the 2004 general election.
Political party candidates
Any political party whose candidate for governor, during the 2006 election, garnered at least 20 percent of the total votes cast, must nominate all its candidates for all offices sought via primary election. In the 2006 election, both the Democratic candidate (Chris Bell) and the Republican candidate (Rick Perry) received this many votes; thus, both parties must hold primary elections using the two-round system. The primary elections must be held on the first Tuesday in March, and a candidate must receive a majority of votes cast in the primary election; otherwise, a runoff election between the top two finishers must be held on the second Tuesday in April.
A political party whose candidate for governor, during the 2006 election, received at least two percent but less than 20 percent of the total votes cast, may nominate its candidates for all offices sought via either a primary election (using the two-round system) or a state convention. If the party chooses to conduct a primary election, it must notify the Texas Secretary of State at least one year prior to the general election date and must nominate all its candidates via primary election. No third-party candidate met this requirement in 2006; the last to do so was the Libertarian Party in 1990 (when nominee Jeff Daiell polled over 3.3% of the vote).
All other political parties must nominate their candidates via state convention, which by law must be held on the second Saturday in June. In order to qualify for ballot access at the general election, the party must either:
have had at least one candidate, in the previous statewide election, garner at least five percent of the total votes cast for that office (only the Libertarian Party met this requirement), or
within 75 days after conducting its precinct conventions, submit lists of said conventions, whose total participant count equals at least one percent of the total votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election.
If the political party cannot meet the precinct convention count requirement, it may file a supplemental petition, the number of signatures on which, when added to the count from the precinct convention lists, totals the required one percent, but must do so within the 75-day period above. Any person signing a supplemental petition must not have voted in any party's primary election or runoff election, or participated in any other third-party's convention.
Independent candidates
Should an independent gubernatorial candidate seek ballot access in the state of Texas, the candidate must meet the following requirements: