Texas Midterm: Democrats Seize State House and Governor's Mansion
Republicans retain the state Senate and U.S. House majority despite a historic Democratic wave that flipped key statewide offices.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Democratic candidates won 77 seats in the Texas state House on Tuesday, securing a legislative majority for the first time in nearly 25 years. The Associated Press reported that Republicans captured 63 seats, leaving 10 races undecided as of Thursday. This result crosses the 75-seat threshold required to control the chamber.
The shift in the lower chamber marks a stark change from the election's starting point. The Texas Tribune noted that Republicans held 86 House seats and 18 Senate seats before the vote, while Democrats held 62 House seats and 12 Senate seats. One state Senate seat had been vacant prior to the election.
Democrats also swept major statewide offices, a result the AP attributed to a broad wave of support in the Lone Star State. Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat from Texas, won the gubernatorial race and will take office in January. She will be the third female executive in the state's history of more than 180 years, ending a Republican hold on the governorship that lasted over three decades.
James Talarico, a Democrat, won the U.S. Senate race for Texas. His victory flips the seat blue for the first time since 1988. It is also the first time a Democrat has held that specific office since 1993.
The Democratic wave extended to the lieutenant governor, attorney general, and railroad commissioner races, according to the AP. Republicans, however, maintained their majority in the state Senate, holding 19 seats to 12 for Democrats after the Tuesday vote. The party also kept its majority of seats for the U.S. House in Texas.
Results for the State Board of Education were still coming in as of Thursday. The Texas Tribune reported that Democrats gained ground in that body, though the final majority had not yet been determined.
