News Article | September 18, 2026
Month in Review: A Digest of Capitol News
County News | Legislative News
Legislative Services
Texas’ general election results mirrored national returns, with significant Democratic gains. The Legislature will look far different in January. Republicans still hold a majority in the Senate, but the House of Representatives will be majority Democrat. All statewide offices also flipped from Republican to Democrat.
Details on a selection of notable races follow.
Executive Branch
Democrats swept all major statewide offices.
- Gov. Greg Abbott lost to House District 49 Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin).
- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, to HD 47 Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin).
- Attorney General Ken Paxton did not run for reelection as AG, creating an open race. Senate District 16 Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) defeated SD 11 Sen. Mayes Middleton (D-Galveston).
- Acting Comptroller Don Huffines, to SD 14 Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin).
- Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, to Democrat Benjamin Flores, a small-business owner.
- Former Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller lost in the Republican primary to Nate Sheets, who went on to lose to Democrat Clayton Tucker, a rancher.
- Former Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright lost in the Republican primary to former Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French, who went on to lose to HD 135 Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston).
The 89th Legislature seated 86 Republicans and 62 Democrats (two seats were vacant) and elected state Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) as speaker of the House. On Jan. 12, the 90th Legislature will gavel in with a projected 83-67 Democratic majority (vacancies or recounts could shift the totals). Their choice for speaker will be the first Democrat since former Speaker Pete Laney led the House from 1993 to 2003.
Listed below are incumbents who lost their reelection bids.
- HD 14 Rep. Paul Dyson (R-Bryan), to Democrat Janet Dudding, a certified public accountant.
- HD 28 Rep. Gary Gates (R-Richmond), to Democrat Sandy Ibanez, a commercial real estate executive.
- HD 37 Rep. Janie Lopez (R-San Benito), to Democrat Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa Jr., a public school administrator.
- HD 52 Rep. Caroline Harris Davila (R-Round Rock, to Democrat Chris Jimenez, a small-business owner.
- HD 55 Rep. Hillary Hickland (R-Belton), to Democrat Amelia Rabroker, an artist and small-business owner.
- HD 63 Rep. Ben Bumgarner (R-Flower Mound), to Democrat Denise Wooten, a clinical psychologist.
- HD 80 Rep. Don McLaughlin (R-Uvalde), to Democrat Cecilia Castellano, a small-business owner.
- HD 89 Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas), to Democrat Angie Carraway, a public school teacher.
- HD 97 Rep. John McQueeney (R-Fort Worth), to Democrat Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin, a retired public school teacher.
- HD 112 Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Garland), to Democrat Zach Herbert, a personal injury attorney.
- HD 121 Rep. Marc LaHood (R-San Antonio), to Democrat Zack Dunn, a Bexar County special victims prosecutor.
- HD 127 Rep. Charles Cunningham (R-Humble), to Democrat Michelle Williams, a public school teacher.
- HD 132 Rep. Mike Schofield (R-Katy), to Democrat Sara McGee, a healthcare administrator.
- HD 138 Rep. Lacy Hull (R-Houston), to Democrat Tyler Smith, a director for a national nonprofit.
Patrick’s 12-year run as lieutenant governor ends, as Goodwin becomes the first Democratic lieutenant governor since Bob Bullock, who served from 1991 to 1999.
The change in leadership over the Senate is not likely to translate into a change in power. With only 10 to 12 Democrats in the chamber, depending on the outcomes of special elections to replace Eckhardt and Johnson, Goodwin’s authority will be limited.
Statute guarantees the lieutenant governor a seat on the Legislative Budget Board, but nearly all of the office’s other powers are established by Senate rules, including the big two: committee appointments and control of the calendar governing legislative debate and votes. Because Senate rules are adopted by majority vote, Republicans are expected to retain control of those powers by assigning them to a member of the party.
Notable Senate races and changes include:
- SD 4 Sen. Brett Ligon (R-Conroe) won a May special election to succeed former Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), who resigned to become chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. In a rematch of the special election, Ligon defeated Democrat Ron Angeletti, an educator.
- SD 9 Sen. Taylor Rehmet (D-Garland), upset winner of a 2026 special election to replace former Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) after Abbott appointed Hancock acting comptroller, held on in a rematch against Republican Leigh Wambsganss to earn a full four-year term.
- SD 11: HD 129 Rep. Dennis Paul (R-Houston) bested Democratic challenger Shannon Dicely . He will succeed former Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), who resigned to run for attorney general.
- SD 22: HD 96 Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) defeated Democrat Amy Martinez-Salas to succeed former Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury).
- SD 14 Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin) defeated Huffines to be Texas’ next comptroller. Abbott or Gov.-elect Hinojosa will call a special election to decide her replacement.
- SD 16 Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) defeated Middleton and will take office as Texas’ new attorney general in January. Abbott or Gov.-elect Hinojosa will call a special election to decide his replacement.