Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Texas news, down to the facts.

Election Day was Nov. 3. Mail ballots postmarked on time are counted through 5 p.m. today. Elections

Elections

Texas midterm election polls show Democrats competitive in statewide races

Ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, polls showed competitive races in Texas for U.S. Senate and governor. A Cook Political Report and TelevisaUnivision poll found Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race and Democrat Gina Hinojosa leading Greg Abbott in the governor's race among Hispanic voters. Prediction market contracts worth $111.8 million were traded on the two Texas races.

Where
Statewide
When
Nov. 3, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets

Taxes and money

The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.

  • Prediction market contracts traded on Texas Senate race$92m1 Who pays or receives it: prediction market traders
  • Prediction market contracts traded on Texas governor's race$19.8m1 Who pays or receives it: prediction market traders
  • Campaign spending by Abbott committee by August$54.5m1 Who pays or receives it: Abbott campaign committee
  • Cash held by Abbott campaign committee$67m1 Who pays or receives it: Abbott campaign committee
  • Campaign spending by Hinojosa by Augustless than $4m1 Who pays or receives it: Hinojosa campaign

Does this affect you?

Who's involved

  • James TalaricoDemocrat candidate for U.S. Senate
  • Ken PaxtonRepublican candidate for U.S. Senate, Texas attorney general
  • Gina HinojosaDemocrat candidate for governor
  • Greg AbbottRepublican candidate for governor
  • Cook Political Report and TelevisaUnivisionpoll conductor
  • RealClearPollingpolling average source
  • New York Times/Sienapoll conductor
  • Trafalgar Grouppoll conductor
  • AtlasIntelpoll conductor
  • Kalshiprediction market platform
  • Polymarketprediction market platform

The facts

  • Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.1
  • Texas backed Republican presidential candidates in every election since 1980.1
  • In 2024, Hispanic voters in Texas backed Trump by roughly 10 points.1
  • Talarico leads Paxton 49% to 46.5% in RealClearPolling average.1
  • New York Times/Siena poll showed Talarico ahead of Paxton 50% to 43%.1
  • Trafalgar Group survey showed Talarico and Paxton tied at 48% each.1
  • Abbott leads Hinojosa 49.7% to 47.4% in RealClearPolling average.1
  • About $479m in contracts traded on major election markets on Kalshi and Polymarket.1

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • Analysts State Republicans have dominated for three decades could turn partly or fully blue.1
  • Analysts Change largely due to Trump's immigration crackdown and economic pressure on working families.1
  • Cook Political Report and TelevisaUnivision poll Hispanic voters favored Talarico over Paxton 63% to 30%.1
  • Cook Political Report and TelevisaUnivision poll Hispanic voters favored Hinojosa over Abbott 60% to 33%.1
  • Supporters of prediction markets Such markets offer extra signal about state of race.1

Where the sources disagree

  • Whether Hinojosa or Abbott leads in governor's race Abbott ahead 49.7% to 47.4% per RealClearPolling [1]; Hinojosa ahead by 1 point per New York Times/Siena and AtlasIntel [1]

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

  • Texas on brink of turning blue as bettors stake millions on US midterms

    Geo News

  • Which states “turned blue” in the midterms? A state-by-state look at Democratic flips

    Dallas News

Sources

Outlets: 2 not rated Who's covering Texas →

These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.

  1. Texas on brink of turning blue as bettors stake millions on US midterms Geo News Not rated, November 3, 2026
  2. Which states “turned blue” in the midterms? A state-by-state look at Democratic flips Dallas News Not rated, November 4, 2026

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

Spot an error on this sheet?

All corrections and updates

Keep reading

Elections

Texas border counties vote overwhelmingly for Democrats after supporting Trump in 2024

Texas voters along the Mexico border increased turnout by 8% compared to 2022 and voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates on Tuesday. The shift reversed border counties' 2024 support for Trump, and Democrats won two congressional seats Republicans had targeted for pickup.

James Talarico, State Rep., Democratic candidate at top of ticket; Jeronimo Cortina, Political scientist, University of Houston; Beto O'Rourke, Democratic candidate, 2018 election and 1 more

One outletOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

Elections

Elon Musk's millions backing Republicans lost in Texas midterm races

Elon Musk spent millions backing Republican candidates in Texas midterm races, but most candidates he supported lost. Democrat James Talarico won the Texas Senate race over Republican Ken Paxton, the first Democrat to win the seat since 1988.

around $180 million for campaign spending

Elon Musk, billionaire donor to Republican campaigns; James Talarico, Democrat elected to Texas Senate; Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for Texas Senate and 3 more

Reported by 4 outletsFound via Google News

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Harris County voters re-elect Democratic officials in local elections

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Letitia Plummer, Democrat, elected Harris County Judge; Orlando Sanchez, Republican candidate for Harris County Judge; Lesley Briones, Democratic County Commissioner, re-elected and 5 more

One outletFound via Google News

ElectionsHouston-area, Texas; Congressional District 9

Democrat Leticia Gutierrez wins Houston-area Congressional District 9 seat

Democratic environmental activist Leticia Gutierrez won Texas Congressional District 9, a Houston-area seat redrawn last year to favor Republicans. Gutierrez led Republican Alexandra Mealer by about 4 percentage points, and Mealer conceded.

$215,000 for campaign spending for Gutierrez

Leticia Gutierrez, Democratic candidate, won Congressional District 9; Alexandra Mealer, Republican candidate, conceded race; Al Green, U.S. Representative for District 9, previous holder

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

ElectionsTexas House District 41

Democrat Julio Salinas wins Texas House District 41 race

Democrat Julio Salinas defeated Republican Gary Groves in the November 3, 2026 general election for Texas House District 41. Salinas received 68% of the vote with 36,028 votes to Groves' 16,942 votes, a margin of 19,086 votes.

Julio Salinas, Democratic candidate for Texas House District 41; Gary Groves, Republican candidate for Texas House District 41

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

ElectionsTarrant County, Texas (Texas Senate District 9)

Democrat Taylor Rehmet defeats Republican Leigh Wambsganss for Texas Senate District 9

Democrat Taylor Rehmet, the incumbent, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss on November 3, 2026, in a race for Texas Senate District 9. This was a rematch of an earlier special election runoff.

Taylor Rehmet, Incumbent Democratic state senator, candidate for Texas Senate District 9; Leigh Wambsganss, Republican candidate for Texas Senate District 9; Kelly Hannock, Former Republican state senator who held the seat and left to serve as interim comptroller and 1 more

Reported by 5 outletsFound via Google News

All of today's news