 One of the Democratic candidates, Larry Crim, filed a petition seeking to offer the voters a new primary in which to select a Democratic Nominee among the remaining candidates the party had affirmed as bona fide and as a preliminary motion sought a temporary restraining order against certification of the results, but after a judge denied the temporary order Crim withdrew his petition

Incumbent Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison retired 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 on May 29, 2012, a runoff was held July 31, 2012, for both the Democratic and Republican parties, with Paul Sadler and Ted Cruz winning, respectively.