Democrats sweep Texas statewide offices, setting up 2028 battleground fight

Democrats won every statewide office in Texas just two years after Donald Trump carried the state by nearly 14 percentage points. Gina Hinojosa defeated Governor Greg Abbott, while James Talarico won the U.S. Senate race by 12 points over Ken Paxton.

Senator Ted Cruz responded on his podcast, promising that Texas will be red again. DNC Chair Ken Martin called Texas a seismic battleground state for the next presidential contest.

“I give you my word: Texas will be red again.”

Texas holds 40 electoral votes, making it the second-largest prize in the Electoral College. Republicans have relied on the state as an anchor in every presidential race since 1980, and reaching 270 electoral votes without it is nearly impossible.

The state last backed a Democratic presidential candidate with Jimmy Carter. For decades, neither party had to compete seriously for Texas, with Democrats treating it mainly as a fundraising stop and Republicans winning relatively easily.

Karl Rove said Texas competitiveness in 2028 depends on whether Republicans unify and whether Democrats govern from the center or as Austin liberals. The 2030 Census could add even more electors to the state.

The 2028 election will test whether the Democratic wave was a one-time outlier or the start of a lasting shift. Both parties now see an opportunity in the changed political landscape.