With 44 percent of the state's 8,236 precincts reporting, Perry had 51 percent, compared to 31 percent for Hutchison, Perry’s leading challenger in the three-way fight for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Wharton businesswoman Debra Medina, whose candidacy paralleled many of themes waged by the Tea Party movement, trailed with 18 percent of the vote.

Just before 9:30 p.m., Hutchison conceded the race to Perry and promised to work with him for Texas interests.

Among Democrats, former Houston mayor Bill White won an overwhelming victory in the seven-way race for the party’s nomination to oppose the Republican victor in the Nov. 2 general election, according to the Associated Press. White had 77.9 percent of the vote in early returns, while his most visible opponent, Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami, had 10.5 percent.

Even before the polls closed, supporters of the gubernatorial candidates and contenders in other races were gathering at "watch parties" across the state to await the returns.

Election forecasters and political analysts were calling for a large turnout, in part because of the intensity of the governor's race and robust early voting that reflected increases over the last governor's race in 2006. The weather was also cooperating as voters went to the polls under sunny skies in most parts of the state.

The marquee race between Perry and Hutchison, which started developing more than a year ago, was not only the main event in Texas but is also one of the top inner-party battles nationwide. "This is one of the most closely watched primaries in the country partly because we've rarely seen an incumbent governor and an incumbent senator going head to head in the primary," said Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, a national polling firm that has followed the Texas governor's race.