Texas Midterm Elections Feature High-Stakes Governor and Senate Races

Texas voters head to the polls on November 3, 2026, to decide a series of critical midterm contests that carry major implications for control of the U.S. House and Senate, alongside a fiercely contested race for the governor's office. The elections occur during the second year of President Donald Trump's second term, with Republicans defending their narrow majority in the House while seeking to maintain dominance across a historically conservative state where a Democrat has not won a statewide election in more than thirty years.

Early voting has seen strong participation across the state. According to data from the NBC News Decision Desk, early voting surpassed final figures from the 2022 midterms, with roughly 41 percent of the state's 18.8 million registered voters casting early ballots. Reports also indicate a surging turnout among Hispanic voters throughout Texas, reflecting high engagement across diverse communities as polling locations open for Election Day.

At the top of the state ticket, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democratic state Representative James Talarico in a closely watched U.S. Senate race. Paxton has retained the backing of President Trump despite facing multiple controversies. Meanwhile, Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who secured his previous three re-election bids by double digits, faces a challenging contest against Democratic state Representative Gina Hinojosa as Democrats aim to break their decades-long statewide losing streak.

The state's congressional delegation is also undergoing significant shifts. Entering the 2026 cycle, Republicans hold 25 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives compared to 13 for Democrats, a split shaped by the 2021 redistricting process. At least a quarter of the Texas congressional delegation announced retirements by late 2025, creating numerous open seats and heightened turnover. In response, Democrats launched an unprecedented full-slate recruitment effort to field candidates in every federal race across the state, even targeting traditionally safe Republican districts to maximize voter mobilization.

Primary contests earlier in the year set the stage for several notable general election matchups. In the 2nd congressional district, state Representative Steve Toth secured an upset victory over incumbent Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw in the Republican primary. In the 8th district, an open seat primary drew a crowded field following Representative Morgan Luttrell's decision not to seek re-election, with Republican candidate Jessica Steinmann advancing with endorsements from prominent conservative figures including Senator Ted Cruz and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

While numerous suburban and border districts, such as Districts 15, 23, and 34, remain focal points due to demographic changes and localized debates over immigration and energy policy, many suburban districts retain solid Republican ratings from analysts like the Cook Political Report. As precincts report live results through the Associated Press, election officials continue monitoring mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to determine the final outcomes in tightly contested races.