Texans know Farouk Shami as a former long-shot candidate for governor, the head of a hair care empire, and the inspiration for perhaps the greatest campaign song of all time. Soon, Shami will add another job to that list: guest judge on Celebrity Apprentice.

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The 2010 political campaigns are over, but looking back at the fundraising and spending that financed them is now fully possible thanks to records made public by the Texas Ethics Commission after Tuesday’s filing deadline.

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2010 didn't turn out like it looked a year ago. Unexpected people showed up. The political environment bloomed red instead of blue. The Tea was strong. And big shots turned into paper tigers. Here are some of the political personalities who mattered.

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Politics, like football, is a full-contact sport — and the 2010 election was filled with the kind of brawling you would expect. It also had plenty of bizarre moments of the sort that make the rest of the nation believe Texas really is a different country.  Full Story

Two years after the party’s hybrid primary/caucus system allowed Barack Obama to win more presidential delegates than Hillary Clinton, Texas Democrats voted at their convention this weekend in Corpus Christi to keep the controversial “Texas two-step.”

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The Texas Democratic Party State Convention is underway in Corpus Christi, and the Tribune is there to cover the whole shebang. Follow along with reporters Ben Philpott, Brandi Grissom and Reeve Hamilton as they bring you live updates and photos from the weekend.

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Inquiring minds wanted to know: What's so different about Montague County, the one county Bill White failed to win in the primary? Turns out, nothing — it's just like all the rest of them.

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Our obsessive-compulsive election day and next day coverage: frenetically updated county-by-county maps and up-to-the-minute returns in every race on the ballot, Hu's awesome crowdsourced liveblog, Ramshaw on the twenty surprise outcomes, Aguilar on recount possibilities and dead incumbents, M. Smith on how judicial races turned out, Rapoport on changes at the SBOE and who was elected before the first vote was cast, Thevenot on whether the GOP has a problem with Hispanics, Hamilton on how the Tea Party fared, Grissom and Ramshaw on the legislative and congressional mop-up, Ramsey on what happens now, Stiles on how much candidates spent per vote; and my post-primary debrief with Rick Perry's pollster and George W. Bush's former strategist. The best of our best from March 1 to 5, 2010.

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Was Farouk Shami, in fact, "on fire"? The Democratic gubernatorial candidate burned through campaign cash, spending $135 for every vote he received in Tuesday's primary on the way to getting trounced by Bill White — more than any other candidate on the ballot, and by far the most of any losing candidate. By contrast, Democratic land commissioner hopeful Bill Burton spent only 2 cents per vote in a narrow loss to Hector Uribe, who spent only 7 cents per vote himself. All told, candidates spent, on average, about $14 per vote. Explore each campaign's bang for the buck in our latest data application.

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There’s one sure-fire lesson to be taken from the recently ended primary battle in Texas.  When it comes to the position of governor, 9/11 “Truthers” need not apply.

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Leave it to Farouk Shami to bid a festive farewell to his campaign.

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It seems like just yesterday — the gubernatorial race was overflowing with three GOP candidates and seven Democrats. But, it’s time to forget that bygone era — now, it’s all about Rick Perry v. Bill White.

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"Do not give up hope."

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Gov. Rick Perry and former Houston Mayor Bill White claimed their parties' gubernatorial nominations Tuesday night. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison conceded the GOP primary, congratulating Perry on his 11th consecutive statewide victory. White, meanwhile, had enough votes to call an early victory over Farouk Shami and five other Democrats, declaring, "We're gonna have some fun, and Texans are going to come together." Later, he sent a message about a conversation with Shami: "Just spoke to Farouk Shami. Very gracious. He'll help me. I do like his idea of building solar panel factories in Texas."

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If you believe the pollsters, the outcomes of today's Democratic and Republican gubernatorial primaries are all but set, as Rick Perry and Bill White have big leads in their respective races. It's not exactly the photo finish that pundits were expecting — especially from the GOP side. Ben Philpott, covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report.

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Will gubernatorial contests that have already cost more than $51 million last another six weeks? Will there be runoffs in judicial, legislative, or other down-ballot races? Will Texas voters go for the smart ones, the rich ones, the kooks, the old pros, the kids, or the insurgents? We'll soon know the answers to these and other pressing primary questions.

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Early voting totals in Texas' largest counties nearly doubled, with the GOP race leading the charge.

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Too busy to read? Then just watch. Our quick video featurettes give each major Texas gubernatorial candidate a chance to sum up why he or she wants your vote.

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