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

The Republican Party had held the State Senate since the 1996 elections.

District 22: In March 2010, after winning the Republican primary for his seat, Senator Kip Averitt announced that he would step down from his seat in the Texas Senate.

[3] Averitt backed former state Senator David Sibley, but Brian Birdwell won the election.

[4] As he had won the March primary, Averitt's name was still set to be on the ballot in November, but he withdrew his name shortly after Birdwell's victory.