He won the Republican primary against U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina.

Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas Attorney General, won the Libertarian nomination.

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.

[86]) The Libertarian Party obtained ballot access automatically due to its 2008 showing, in which one of its nominees attracted over one million votes.

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.