Elections were held in Texas on November 4, 2014. All of Texas's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Texas's thirty-six seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on March 4, 2014. Primary runoffs, required if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, were held on May 27, 2014. Elections were also held for the Texas legislature and proposition 1, seeking funds for Texas highways (which passed).
A combination of retirements, incumbents seeking other offices and a primary defeat means that after the election, for the first time since 1874, all of Texas's executive offices were held by new officeholders.
The Tea Party made large gains in the 2014 elections, with Tea Party-backed candidates being elected into offices such as lieutenant governor and attorney general, among other offices.Koppel, Nathan (January 21, 2015) - "Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Moves Quickly to Advance Conservative Agenda". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 2, 2015.Grissom, Brandi. Tea Party Conservatives Win Top GOP Runoff Contests, Texas Tribune, May 28, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
Governor
Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry, who has served in the office since December 21, 2000, when George W. Bush resigned ahead of being sworn in as President of the United States, has announced that he will not run for a fourth full term as governor. This will be the first open election for governor since 1990, when Ann Richards was elected.
Greg Abbott won the Republican primary, Wendy Davis won the Democratic primary. Kathie Glass won the Libertarian Party of Texas nomination in convention. They and a Green candidate will contest the general election.
Abbott won the general election, defeating Davis by twenty points.
Lieutenant governor
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst ran for an unprecedented fourth term, but was defeated in the Republican primary by his more conservative opponent, state senator Dan Patrick. Patrick would go on to win the general election in a landslide over Leticia Van de Putte. Patrick was sworn in on January 20, 2015.
Attorney General
Incumbent Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott was eligible to seek re-election to a fourth term, but instead decided to run for governor. Republican state senator Ken Paxton defeated Democratic attorney Sam Houston with 58.81% of the vote.
Comptroller of Public Accounts Incumbent Republican Comptroller Susan Combs retired and did not seek a third term in office.
Republican primary Candidates Declared Glenn Hegar, state senator Harvey Hilderbran, state representative Debra Medina, activist and candidate for governor in 2010 Raul Torres, former state representative
Declined Susan Combs, Comptroller of Public Accounts
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror GlennHegar HarveyHilderbran DebraMedina RaulTorres Other UndecidedUoT/Texas TribuneUoT/Texas Tribune February 7–17, 2014 461 ±4.56% 24% 26% 39% 11% — —UoT/Texas TribuneUoT/Texas Tribune October 18–27, 2013 519 ±5.02% 4% 2% 14% 5% — 75%
Results
A runoff was to be held, but with Hegar only narrowly below the 50% threshold and with several thousand provisional and overseas ballots to be counted, Hildebran withdrew on March 7, 2014, and endorsed Hegar. When the final results were released, Hegar had come only 50 votes short of winning the primary outright.
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Mike Collier, businessman and accountant
Libertarian nomination Candidates Declared Ben Sanders
Green nomination Candidates Declared Deb Shafto, nominee for Governor in 2010
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror GlennHegar (R) MikeCollier (D) Other UndecidedUoT/Texas TribuneUoT/Texas Tribune October 10–19, 2014 866 ± 3.6% 49% 34% 17%Ben Sanders (L) 11%, Deb Shafto (G) 6% —UoT/Texas TribuneUoT/Texas Tribune May 30–June 8, 2014 1,200 ± 2.83% 32% 25% 7%Ben Sanders (L) 5%, Deb Shafto (G) 2% 37%
Results
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Jerry E. Patterson did not run for re-election to a fourth term. He instead ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor.
Republican primary Candidates Declared George P. Bush, attorney, U.S. Navy Reserve officer and son of former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush David Watts, businessman, author, preacher and flight instructor
Declined Jerry E. Patterson, Commissioner of the General Land Office
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Declared John Cook, former mayor of El Paso
Libertarian nomination Candidates Declared Steven Childs Justin Knight
Withdrew Ed Tidwell, Lago Vista City Councilman
Knight won the Libertarian nomination
Green nomination Candidates Declared Ulises Cabrera
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror George P.Bush (R) JohnCook (D) Other UndecidedUoT/Texas Tribune October 10–19, 2014 866 ± 3.6% 50% 32% 17%Justin Knight (L) 10%, Valerie Alessi (G) 7% —UoT/Texas Tribune May 30–June 8, 2014 1,200 ± 2.83% 36% 25% 9%Justin Knight (L) 6%, Valerie Alessi (G) 3% 30%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 10–13, 2014 559 ± 4.1% 50% 32% — 18%
Results
Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Todd Staples did not run for re-election to a third term. He instead ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor. On September 18, he announced that he would resign within the next two months, to become President of the Texas Oil and Gas Association.
Republican primary Candidates Declared J. Allen Carnes, Mayor of Uvalde Joe Cotten, candidate for Railroad Commission of Texas in 2012 Tommy Merritt, former state representative Sid Miller, former state representative Eric Opiela, attorney, rancher and former executive director of the Republican Party of Texas
Withdrew Brandon Creighton, state representative (running for the state senate)
Declined Todd Staples, Commissioner of Agriculture
Results
Runoff Results
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Hugh Fitzsimons, rancher and former member of the Winter Garden Water Conservation District Kinky Friedman, singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist and Independent candidate for Governor in 2006 Jim Hogan, farmer and insurance agent
Results
Runoff Results
Libertarian nomination Candidates Declared Rick Donaldson David "Rocky" Palmquist, rancher
Palmquist won the Libertarian nomination.
Green nomination Candidates Declared Kenneth Kendrick, food safety advocate and whistleblower
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SidMiller (R) JimHogan (D) Other UndecidedUoT/Texas Tribune October 10–19, 2014 866 ± 3.6% 47% 35% 18%Kenneth Kendrick (G) 9%, Rocky Palmquist (L) 9% —UoT/Texas Tribune May 30–June 8, 2014 1,200 ± 2.83% 32% 24% 9%Kenneth Kendrick (G) 5%, Rocky Palmquist (L) 4% 34%
Results
Railroad Commissioner
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Barry Smitherman did not run for re-election to a full term. He instead ran unsuccessfully for attorney general.
Republican primary Candidates Declared Becky Berger, geologist and candidate for the Railroad Commission in 2012 Malachi Boyuls, attorney and venture capitalist Wayne Christian, former state representative Ryan Sitton, oil and gas engineer and candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in 2012
Withdrew Stefani Carter, state representative (running for re-election) Ray Keller, former state representative Joe Pool Jr., candidate for Texas Supreme Court Justice Place 4 in 2012 and son of former U.S. Representative Joe R. Pool
Declined Barry Smitherman, Chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas
Results
Runoff Results
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Steve Brown, former chairman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party Dale Henry, perennial candidate
Results
Libertarian nomination Candidates Declared Jason Kute Mark Miller, businessman
Miller won the Libertarian nomination.
Green nomination Candidates Declared Martina Salinas
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror RyanSitton (R) SteveBrown (D) Other UndecidedUoT/Texas Tribune October 10–19, 2014 866 ± 3.6% 48% 34% 19%Mark Miller (L) 10%, Martina Salinas (G) 9% —UoT/Texas Tribune May 30–June 8, 2014 1,200 ± 2.83% 32% 24% 10%Mark Miller (L) 6%, Martina Salinas (G) 4% 33%
Results
Texas Legislature
Every seat in the Texas House of Representatives and about half of the seats in the Texas Senate were up for election.
Texas House of Representatives
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalRepublicanDemocraticVacant Before 2014 elections9555 1500Voting share After 2014 elections9852 1500Voting share
Texas Senate
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalRepublicanDemocraticVacant Before 2014 elections1912 310Voting share After 2014 elections2011 310Voting share
United States Senate
Incumbent Republican senator and Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn ran for re-election to a third term. He won the Republican primary with 59% of the vote, easily turning back a primary challenge from U.S. Representative Steve Stockman and six others. The Democratic primary went to a runoff after businessman David Alameel took 47% of the vote and Worldwide LaRouche Youth Movement activist Kesha Rogers took 22% of the vote. Alameel won the runoff.
In the general election, Cornyn defeated Alameel 61.6%–34.4%.
United States House of Representatives
All of Texas's thirty-six seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2014.
References