Following the 2002 elections, the Republicans maintained effective control of the Senate with nineteen members to the Democrats' twelve.

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to gain four seats.

[1] This led to the 2003 Texas redistricting, where Republicans redrew the state's congressional districts which had been implemented by federal courts for the 2002 elections.

[2] During that session, eleven members of the Texas Senate left the state to break quorum in an attempt to prevent the plan from passing.

[3] This strategy eventually failed due to the defection of Senator John Whitmire of Houston.