2000 United States Senate election in Texas

The 2000 United States Senate election in Texas took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison won re-election to a second full term. This was the last time Travis County voted Republican in a statewide election and the last time a Republican won every county in the Texas Triangle in a statewide election.

2000 United States Senate election in Texas

 1994
November 7, 2000
2006 
 
Nominee Kay Bailey Hutchison Gene Kelly
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 4,078,954 2,025,024
Percentage 65.08% 32.31%

County results
Hutchison:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Kelly:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
     80–90%

U.S. senator before election

Kay Bailey Hutchison
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Kay Bailey Hutchison
Republican

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Nominee

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Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison (incumbent) 955,033 100.00%
Total votes 955,033 100.00%

Democratic primary

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First round results by county:
  Kelly
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Gandy
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Clark
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%

Candidates

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Nominee

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  • Gene Kelly, retired attorney[2]

Eliminated in runoff

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  • Charles Gandy, former state representative from the 105th district (1983-85)[3]

Eliminated in primary

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  • Don Clark, former FBI special agent[4]
  • Bobby Wightman, civil rights attorney and activist[5]
  • H. Gerald Bintliff, developer and businessman[citation needed]
Democratic primary results[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Kelly 220,531 35.68%
Democratic Charles Gandy 140,636 22.76%
Democratic Don Clark 139,243 22.53%
Democratic Bobby Wightman 83,643 13.53%
Democratic H. Gerald Bintliff 33,979 5.50%
Total votes 618,032 100.00%
Runoff results by county:
  Kelly
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Gandy
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  •   >90%
  Tie

Runoff

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Democratic runoff results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Kelly 143,366 58.43%
Democratic Charles Gandy 101,984 41.57%
Total votes 245,350 100.00%

General election

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2000 United States Senate election in Texas[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison (Incumbent) 4,078,954 65.08% +4.23%
Democratic Gene Kelly 2,025,024 32.31% −6.00%
Green Douglas S. Sandage 91,329 1.46% N/A
Libertarian Mary J. Ruwart 72,657 1.16% +0.32%
Majority 2,053,930 32.77% +10.23%
Turnout 6,267,964
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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See also

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References

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  1. "2000 Primary Elections". Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  2. "Archives | The Dallas Morning News, dallasnews.com". nl.newsbank.com.
  3. "Member profile for Charles Gandy - Texas Legislative Reference Library". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  4. "Veteran FBI Special Agent Don Clark to Appear on 'Corporate Strategies with Tim Connolly' November 14th at 9:00 pm EDT". GlobeNewswire News Room. November 12, 2004. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  5. Donald, Mark (March 1, 2000). "Impossible dreamer". Dallas Observer. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  6. "2000 Senatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Texas". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  7. "2000 Senatorial Democratic Runoff Election Results - Texas". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  8. "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
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Official campaign websites