Democrats won multiple statewide offices in Texas on November 3, 2026, including the governorship and a U.S. Senate seat, marking their first statewide victories since 1994. The party flipped congressional seats and made gains in border counties.
Where
Statewide
When
November 3, 2026
Sources
One outlet
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
Gina HinojosaDemocratic gubernatorial candidate, elected governor
James TalaricoDemocratic Senate candidate, won Senate race
Ken PaxtonRepublican state attorney general, lost Senate race
Greg AbbottRepublican governor, defeated
DemocratsParty winning statewide and congressional races
The facts
Democrats won the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat, and offices of lieutenant governor and attorney general.2
Texas Democrats had not won a statewide election since 1994.2
Gina Hinojosa will be Texas' first Latina governor.2
James Talarico won his Senate race over Ken Paxton, the state attorney general.2
Democrats flipped congressional seats despite Republicans gerrymandering the map.2
Democrats gained votes in border counties that had swung toward Trump in 2024.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
James Talarico Voters frustrated over high prices and corruption rejected the Republican party.2
Gina Hinojosa Voters delivered a mandate for change; Texas will lead with courage, not convenience.2
Ron DeSantis Democratic sweep of Texas statewide races takes away an anchor of the modern GOP.2
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.
Matthew Shane Zachary was arrested and charged with murder in connection with a homicide at a residence in Gaines County. The Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers are leading the investigation with assistance from the Gaines County Sheriff's Office.
$$750,000 for bond
Matthew Shane Zachary, Suspect arrested and charged with murder; Gaines County Sheriff's Office, Law enforcement investigating homicide; Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers, Leading the investigation
Texas governor-elect Gina Hinojosa said in a CNN interview that the state should pause work with data centers until protections for residents are in place. She promised to introduce laws to change the state's approach and said communities should have a role in deciding whether data centers are built there.
Democrats in the Texas Legislature filed legislation Monday as bill filing opened for the 2027 session. Proposals included Medicaid expansion, minimum wage increases, ending data center tax breaks, banning Flock cameras, repealing ICE partnership requirements for sheriffs, forbidding border wall construction at state parks, ending school vouchers, boosting per-pupil school funding, legalizing marijuana, and building high-speed rail from Dallas to San Antonio.
$up to $10 billion a year for medicaid expansion annual funding to Texas
State Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin, filed Medicaid expansion bill; State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, filed companion Medicaid bill; Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, filed school nurse notification bill and 3 more
El Paso County Sheriff's Office arrested 38-year-old Laron Lenard Watts and charged him with theft of property valued at $150,000 or more after he reportedly refused to return a shipment of fiber-optic cable, trailer, and container worth $155,000 total following a payment dispute.
$$155,000 for estimated value of property (shipping container, trailer chassis, fiber-optic cable)
Laron Lenard Watts, 38-year-old man arrested and charged with theft; El Paso County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement agency conducting investigation and making arrest
Texas is considering a moratorium on new data centers while studying their effects on the electrical grid. Researchers found that synchronized battery systems and data center backup power devices cause regular frequency drops in power grids, though not considered an immediate threat to stability.
Governor Greg Abbott, Governor; Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Grid operator; Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), Regulatory body and 2 more
The Texas Water Development Board reports drought conditions in Texas fell to 61% as of November 3, down from 68% the previous week. Improvements in the Panhandle, Central, and West Texas outpaced degradations in East Texas.
Texas Water Development Board, reported drought map and conditions data
The University of Missouri athletics department requested a formal review by the Southeastern Conference of the officiating in Saturday's football game against Texas, which Texas won 34-20.
University of Missouri athletics department, requested formal review; Laird Veatch, MU athletics director; Coach Drinkwitz, Mizzou football coach