Democrats sweep Texas statewide races, ousting Gov. Greg Abbott
The gist
Democrats flipped Texas's Senate seat and governor's mansion, ending 32 years of Republican statewide control.
Gina Hinojosa becomes Texas's first Hispanic governor, a shift called an earthquake.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026Democrats won up and down the Texas ballot, flipping a U.S. Senate seat and retaking the governor's mansion, ending a 32-year Republican grip on statewide offices.
- Nov 3, 2026James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general, in the U.S. Senate race.
- Nov 3, 2026Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Gov. Greg Abbott, becoming Texas's first Hispanic governor and its first Democratic governor since 1995.