Texas Democrats swept every statewide office Tuesday and seized the Texas House, ending more than two decades of Republican legislative control in a stunning election night reversal.
Democrats Sweep Texas in Historic Reversal
Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Gov. Greg Abbott to become the state’s first Latina governor and the first woman elected to the office since Ann Richards. Vikki Goodwin unseated Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, while James Talarico beat Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race—ending a GOP hold on the seat since 1988. Democrats also flipped the Texas House, winning at least 76 of the 150 seats according to early returns, with leads in several more races that would give them control for the first time since 2003.
Excellent bill by @VikkiGoodwinTX to tax gas that industry is throwing away. Shout outs to @jessicafortexas & @Jon_RosenthalTX for similar good bills. Democratic state lawmakers want to tax flared, vented natural gas. Texas oil industry says no.https://t.co/ChxPid72IL
The results triggered a blame game among Republicans. Comptroller Don Huffines blamed the loss on “Greg Abbott” and “Dan Patrick,” criticizing the party’s leadership for failing to deliver on promises like lowering property taxes. People are tired of the Republicans being in office,
Huffines said, also targeting what he called the GOP’s mushy middle people.
Former President Donald Trump turned on Abbott despite having endorsed his reelection. Trump wrote that Abbott went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!
without specifying which decisions he believed cost the election.
While the race was hard-fought and close, we came up short. Congratulations to Angie Carraway. I wish her the best in her service to the citizens of House District 89. Please join me in praying for her as she steps into this role. What a privilege it has been to serve.
Republicans Point Fingers After Losses
The losses triggered internal strife within the Texas GOP. But others were more pointed. Vice Chair David Covey called the results our wake-up call,
while state Rep. Brian Harrison—who survived the wave—wrote on X: Turns out ‘unity’ without principles drives defeat.
Gov. Hinojosa will thank them,
he wrote.
Environmental and Data Center Reforms on the Horizon
The Democratic sweep raises new possibilities for environmental reform after more than 30 years of Republican rule. Adrian Shelley, state director of Public Citizen, called it a generational shift in leadership
with a real appetite for reform.
One key area is data center development, which has faced local pushback over water use and environmental impacts.
Jess Heck, director of Texas government affairs for the Data Center Coalition, said its members will continue engaging with communities to ensure growth delivers benefits. Enhancing affordability, creating jobs, and keeping the state’s economy strong are top priorities,
Heck said in a statement. Meanwhile, Hinojosa’s past record suggests an interest in environmental enforcement. In 2021, she and 15 Democratic colleagues proposed a Texas Climate Plan
that included a 25 percent tax on gas flared in production fields—though the bill never made it to a vote.
Perhaps TxLege Republicans should've limited emergency powers when Republicans had the chance… I posted in 2023 that "a future Democrat Governor will thank them" for not doing that… Well, we now know her name. Gov. Hinojosa will thank them. https://t.co/Ipg41iEjEK
Cost of Living and Voter Mobilization
Rising costs were a driving force behind Democratic gains nationwide. Katherine Fischer, executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, said Democrats invested over $400,000 in Brazoria County to flip four county seats. Fischer and party Chair Kendall Scudder highlighted a coordinated campaign, Texas Together, that recruited 104 candidates and opened 12 field offices to build grassroots support.
Earlier coverage: Democrats Chase Supermajority in Washington State House
I have been blessed to serve in the greatest legislature in the Union. It was an honor and a pleasure to give back to my community. I thank God, my family, and my team for all the work and bills we passed in the last 4 years. I’ll see y’all around.
More on Texas House
Ms. T, Dean Senfronia Thompson, is SHREWD, a LEGEND & a legislative powerhouse! She’s forgotten more about passing laws than most will ever know. She’s EARNED the right to make history as the FIRST WOMAN & FIRST BLACK SPEAKER in the history of this USED-TO-BE RED ASS STATE OF… pic.twitter.com/X8pVUIKNhK
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