In the November 3, 2026 election, Democrats won enough State Board of Education races to appear poised for an 8-7 majority on the 15-member board, marking the first Democratic majority in more than 30 years. One race faces a possible recount. The board sets curriculum standards for Texas public schools and approves instructional materials.
Where
Statewide
When
Nov. 3, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
James TalaricoCandidate who won U.S. Senate race
Gina HinojosaCandidate who defeated Governor Greg Abbott
Vikki GoodwinCandidate who unseated Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
DemocratsParty that won control of Texas House for first time since 2002
RepublicansParty that retained state Senate majority
Felicia MartinExecutive director of Texas Freedom Network
Sierra ClubOrganization demanding environmental action from incoming Democratic leadership
The facts
Republicans held 11 of 15 State Board of Education seats before the election.1
Democrats held four State Board of Education seats before the election.1
After Nov. 3 voting, Democrats appear poised to hold an 8-7 majority on the board.1
One exceptionally close State Board of Education race faces possible recount.1
This would be the first Democratic majority on the board in more than 30 years.1
The State Board of Education determines curriculum standards for Texas public schools.1
Democrats won control of Texas House for first time since 2002; Republicans retained state Senate majority.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Sierra Club and more than a dozen other Texas organizations Incoming Democratic leadership should build cleaner energy economy and hold polluting industries accountable.1
Environmental organizations Texas regulators put corporate profits ahead of public health and allowed inadequate industry oversight.1
Where the sources disagree
Exact composition of State Board of Education after election Eight-to-seven Democratic majority per source [1], pending recount of one race
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Texas Matters: The State Board of Education flips. Will a blue Texas go green? And how Elon Musk lost.
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.
A voter poll conducted for AP and news organizations found 56% of surveyed voters said data centres were a crucial or major factor in their vote in the US midterms. The poll also found 76% would oppose new data centre construction in their community, with stronger opposition among Democratic voters.
$$5 billion for monthly spending on building data centres (inflation-adjusted), August 2026
AP and news organizations consortium, Conducted voter poll on data centre concerns; BBC Verify, Analyzed data centre role in campaign and election outcomes; Pew Research, Conducted polling on public views of data centres and 3 more
Political advertising analytics company Kinetiq Political Insights released research showing Republicans outspent Democrats on TV, radio and digital advertising during the 2026 midterm elections, though Democrats reached swing voters at lower cost.
$nearly $3 billion for republican political advertising spending on TV, radio and digital
Kinetiq Political Insights, political advertising analytics company that conducted research; National Media Insights, research firm that analyzed advertising efficiency; James Talarico, Democratic candidate who won Texas U.S. Senate race
Fox News host Jesse Watters said on his November 5 show that if Texas remains a Democratic state, a Republican will never win the White House again. He made the comments after November 2026 midterm elections in which Democrats won statewide office in Texas, including James Talarico's Senate victory and Gina Hinojosa's gubernatorial win.
Jesse Watters, Fox News host; James Talarico, Democratic Senate candidate; Ken Paxton, Republican state attorney general running for Senate and 2 more
James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian and Texas state representative, won a U.S. Senate seat in the midterm election on November 3, 2026. He ran with a Christian message emphasizing caring for neighbors and challenging systems that require charity. His victory was part of a broader Democratic gain in which clergy candidates and other religiously-focused Democrats flipped control of Congress.
James Talarico, Texas state representative and Presbyterian seminarian; Democratic U.S. Senate candidate; Adam Hamilton, Megachurch pastor; Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Kansas; Sarah Trone Garriott, Iowa minister; Democratic U.S. House candidate and 3 more
Jon Rosenthal, a Democrat and state representative from Cypress, won election to the Texas Railroad Commission, breaking over 30 years of Republican control of all commission seats. He is a former mechanical engineer with 25 years in the energy industry and four terms in the state House.
Jon Rosenthal, Democrat elected to Texas Railroad Commission; Bo French, Rosenthal's opponent for the commission seat; Ben Shepperd, President of Permian Basin Petroleum Association and 2 more
Forty-six of forty-seven data center-related ballot measures voted on November 3, 2026 passed, with roughly 98% overall support for restrictions including bans, moratoriums, power usage caps, and resident approval requirements. Only Harwood, North Dakota rejected its measure.
Greg Abbott, Republican Governor of Texas who promoted data center recruitment; Gina Hinojosa, Democrat elected Governor of Texas, pledging data center moratorium; Austin McCarty, Attorney handling Texas data center matters at K&L Gates
Elon Musk spent an estimated $474 million on the 2026 midterm election, the most by any non-candidate in U.S. history. He spent approximately $200 million on a Texas Senate race where his candidate lost by 12 points to a Democrat.
$$474 million for spending on 2026 midterm election
Elon Musk, spent estimated $474 million on 2026 election; President Trump, received Musk's support; James Pindell, journalist reporting on Musk's spending and 1 more
Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden announced formation of working groups made up of county election and registration officials to improve the Texas Election Administration Management (TEAM) system as redevelopment continues.
Robert S. Howden, Texas Secretary of State; County election and registration officials, Working group members