GINA HINOJOSA DEFEATS GREG ABBOTT IN TEXAS GOVERNOR ELECTION

Republican Greg Abbott conceded the Texas governor’s election to Democrat Gina Hinojosa on Tuesday night, telling supporters in Austin that he had called to congratulate her. Hinojosa’s victory in the 2026 midterm elections ends more than three decades of Republican control of the governorship. She becomes the first Latina elected governor of Texas and the first Democrat elected to the office since Ann Richards in 1990. Democrat James Talarico also won the state’s US Senate contest against Republican Ken Paxton, whom President Donald Trump had endorsed.

Talarico becomes the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from Texas since 1988. From January, he will represent Texas alongside Republican Senator Ted Cruz. Projections also put Democrat Vikki Goodwin ahead of incumbent Dan Patrick for lieutenant governor and Democrat Nathan Johnson on course to become attorney general. Democrats led the governor’s and Senate contests in Tarrant and Collin counties in North Texas.

Control of the Texas legislature remained unresolved as counting continued on Wednesday. Democrats gained seats in the 150-member Texas House, where a majority requires 76 seats. Voters also contested 16 of the state Senate’s 31 seats, with those results determining control alongside seats outside this election. Early Wednesday declarations allocated 11 of Texas’s 38 US House seats to Democrats and nine to Republicans, leaving 18 undecided. National projections put Democrats on course to control both chambers of Congress.