Democrats also won the lieutenant governorship and the Texas Attorney General’s Office and regained control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Harris County broke its midterm voting record, and Houston approved Proposition A.
Updated November 4, 2026. The election results remain subject to official certification.
The results of the 2026 Texas elections gave victory to Democrat Gina Hinojosa in the governorship and to James Talarico in the race for the United States Senate. In Harris County, Letitia Plummer defeated Republican Orlando Sanchez to succeed Lina Hidalgo at the helm of the county government.
The Tuesday, November 3 election also yielded Democratic victories in the lieutenant governor’s race and the Texas Attorney General’s Office, as well as reelections of Commissioners Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones. In Houston, voters approved a reform to police policies on marijuana possession and no-knock warrants.
Who Won the Elections in Texas, Harris County, and Houston
The following table gathers the major wins and voter decisions. The results correspond to projections by news outlets and unofficial tallies, pending certification.
| Election | Winner or outcome | Opponent or opposing option |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Governorship | Gina Hinojosa (D) | Greg Abbott (R) |
| Texas Lieutenant Governor | Vikki Goodwin (D) | Dan Patrick (R) |
| Texas Attorney General | Nathan Johnson (D) | Mayes Middleton (R) |
| U.S. Senate from Texas | James Talarico (D) | Ken Paxton (R) |
| U.S. House, Texas 9th District | Leticia Gutierrez (D) | Alex Mealer (R) |
| Judge of Harris County | Letitia Plummer (D) | Orlando Sanchez (R) |
| Harris County, Precinct 2 | Adrian Garcia (D) | Richard Vega (R) |
| Harris County, Precinct 4 | Lesley Briones (D) | Steve Radack (R) |
| Houston Proposition A | Approved | Vote against |
| Cy-Fair ISD, Propositions A–E | Rejected | Vote in favor |
The tallies can be consulted on the official Texas results portal and at the Harris County Elections Office.
Gina Hinojosa Defeats Greg Abbott and Wins the Texas Governorship
Gina Hinojosa defeated the Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who sought a fourth term. The Associated Press declared her the winner on election night. Abbott conceded defeat and congratulated Hinojosa.
Hinojosa will be the first Latina woman to govern Texas. Her victory also ends more than three decades of Republican rule. The last Democratic governor was Ann Richards, who left office in January 1995.
Hinojosa grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, studied in Brownsville, served on the Austin school board, and has represented a district in that city in the state Legislature since 2017. During her campaign she prioritized the cost of living, public education, and the influence of large political donors.
She also proposed a moratorium on new data centers until Texas establishes protections related to water consumption, electricity costs, and community participation.
As governor, Hinojosa would have executive powers and veto authority over state laws. However, initiatives requiring new laws or appropriations would depend on the Legislature’s composition and potential political deals.
Vikki Goodwin and Nathan Johnson Expand Democratic Victories in Texas
The Democrat Vikki Goodwin defeated Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who had held the post since 2015. Goodwin, a state legislator, will chair the Texas Senate, a position with influence over legislative committees and the advancement of proposed laws.
In another state contest, Nathan Johnson defeated Republican Mayes Middleton and became the first Democrat elected Texas Attorney General since 1994. Johnson, a state senator and attorney, focused part of his campaign on consumer protection and fighting corruption.
The two victories broaden the political shift underway in Texas. Democrats won several statewide offices that had remained under Republican control for decades, according to the Associated Press.
James Talarico Wins the Senate for Texas and Democrats Retake Congress
The Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the race for the United States Senate. The Associated Press declared him the winner. He will be the first Democrat elected as a federal senator from Texas since 1988.
Talarico will occupy the seat left by John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated during the Republican nomination process. The elected senator, a former public school teacher and state legislator, centered his campaign on the cost of living and the influence of money in politics.
His victory contributed to the Democrats obtaining the seats needed to regain control of the U.S. Senate. The Associated Press also reported that Democrats secured a majority in the House of Representatives, enabling them to lead both chambers in the next legislature.
The new legislative control will allow the party to chair committees, promote investigations, and push its agenda in Congress. However, the passage of laws will depend on the required majorities, and bills could face a presidential veto.
Letitia Plummer Will Succeed Lina Hidalgo in Harris County
The Democrat Letitia Plummer won the election for Harris County Judge against Republican Orlando Sanchez, who conceded defeat on Tuesday night.
Plummer, a dentist and former member of Houston’s City Council, will be the first Black person and the first Muslim to be elected to lead Harris County government. She will succeed Lina Hidalgo, who chose not to seek a third term.
The position of county judge primarily corresponds to presiding over the county government. Plummer will head the Commissioners Court (Commissioners Court), made up of four commissioners and the county judge.
That body decides on the budget, infrastructure projects, flood control, and various public services. The judge also plays important roles in coordinating emergencies and disasters.
Her authority covers all of Harris County, not just the city of Houston.
Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones Win Reelection in Harris County
The Democratic commissioners Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones will keep their posts on the Commissioners Court, according to unofficial election results.
Garcia defeated Republican Richard Vega to win a third term in Precinct 2, which covers part of southeast Harris County and northern Houston. Briones defeated Republican Steve Radack and secured a second term in Precinct 4, which includes areas of the county’s west and southwest Houston.
Radack had previously represented Precinct 3 for 32 years, until his retirement in 2020. His 2026 candidacy was for Precinct 4.
With Garcia and Briones reelected, Democrats will keep the majority on the Commissioners Court, where Plummer will assume the presidency of the county government.
Leticia Gutierrez Wins Texas’s 9th District Against Alex Mealer
In the United States House elections, Democrat Leticia Gutierrez defeated Republican Alex Mealer in Texas’s 9th District. Mealer conceded defeat on election night.
The result is significant because Republicans had redrawn the 9th District to favor their party. Gutierrez’s victory keeps the seat in Democratic hands despite the changes to its electoral boundaries.
In other Houston-area federal contests, reelections were projected for Lizzie Pannill Fletcher in District 7, Christian Menefee in District 18, and Sylvia Garcia in District 29.
Harris County Exceeds 1.39 Million Votes and Breaks Midterm Record
Harris County recorded more than 1.391 million votes cast by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, according to preliminary figures from the county election office reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The figure surpassed the previous record of about 1.219 million votes cast during the 2018 midterm elections.
The record refers to the number of votes cast, not necessarily the turnout percentage. With around 2.746 million registered voters, the total for that tally represented nearly 51% of the register. In 2018, about 52% of registered voters had voted.
Across Texas, more than 7.7 million people had voted early before November 3. That figure represented roughly 40.5% of registered voters and did not include votes cast on Election Day.
Final turnout results could vary as ballot processing and election certification continue.
Houston Approves Proposition A on Marijuana and Warrantless Searches
Voters in the city of Houston approved Proposition A, known as the Houston Freedom Act, according to unofficial results on November 3.
The city charter reform states that the Houston Police Department (HPD) should give the lowest enforcement priority to Class A and B misdemeanor offenses related to marijuana possession.
It also prohibits HPD officers from requesting, executing, or participating in the execution of search warrants without prior notice. The approved text requires knocking on the door, announcing police presence, and waiting at least 15 seconds before executing the warrant.
The measure does not legalize marijuana in Texas nor automatically establishes the same restrictions for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department or other police agencies. Its implementation will have to align with current law and could face legal challenges.
The city of Houston published the full text of the reform, which also requires an audit of police actions related to marijuana possession and public reports on its implementation.
Background: Content of Proposition A on marijuana and warrants in Houston.
Cy-Fair ISD: Voters Reject Five School Propositions
Unofficial results from the November 3 election show that Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Cy-Fair ISD) voters rejected all five propositions put to a vote.
None received more than 37% support in the preliminary results cited by the Houston Chronicle. The decision affects both a tax-rate increase proposal to fund school operations and a bond package for various district facilities.
The Proposition A aimed to authorize an increase in the tax rate intended for school operations, employee compensation, and other everyday expenses. The measure would have generated approximately $100 million in additional revenue.
The Propositions B, C, D, and E corresponded to a bond package of about $1,636 million for infrastructure, safety, educational technology, facilities, sports facilities, and pools.
The outcome is particularly relevant to the district’s finances, which had projected an operating deficit of around $80 million. The tax rate increase was intended to generate resources to reduce that shortfall.
Superintendent Douglas Killian indicated that the district will draft a budget from scratch for the 2027–2028 school year, regardless of the election results, according to the Houston Chronicle.
