Texas Democrats are expected to win a majority in the state House of Representatives and ousted Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in Tuesday’s election, while Republicans retained control of the state Senate. Democrat state Representative Vikki Goodwin will lead the Senate come January.
The blue wave that swept Texas on election night reshaped the state legislature but stopped short of flipping the Senate. Republicans held their majority in the Senate, winning three open seats in districts 3, 11, and 22, while eight Republican incumbents and five Democrats won their re-election bids. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick was defeated by Democrat Vikki Goodwin. Goodwin will lead the Senate, which will have a Republican majority but a Democratic leader.
In the Texas House, Republicans entered election day with an 88-62 majority, but Democrats appear to have reversed that. With 75 seats needed for a majority, Democrats could win 86 seats, flipping the chamber. Thirteen incumbent Republicans lost their seats, including Candy Noble, who filed the bill to require the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms, and Don McLaughlin, the former Uvalde mayor. No incumbent House Democrats lost their races.
Five House races remain too close to call, all in districts where Republican incumbents are tied with their Democratic challengers at 49-49 or 50-50. These include districts 14, 26, 55, 61, and 67.
Political analysts saw the SD 9 Republican loss as an indictment of Lieutenant Governor Patrick and former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French. Republicans cited both as reasons for voting for Democrats.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Texas House flip gives Democrats control of redistricting and legislative agenda in 2027.
- The loss of the Lieutenant Governor office, even with a Senate majority, weakens Republican control over Senate proceedings.
- The blue shift in Texas, a historically Republican state, signals potential long-term changes in political alignment.
Background
The Texas legislature meets every two years, with all 150 House seats and 16 of 31 Senate seats up for election on Tuesday. Prior to the election, Republicans held an 18-13 majority in the Senate and an 88-62 majority in the House. The Democratic gains follow a broader trend of shifting demographics and suburban discontent in Texas.
Key Perspectives
Political analysts: They criticized Dan Patrick and Bo French for being out of touch with county voters, contributing to the losses.
Texas Republicans: Some voters reportedly cited Patrick and French as reasons for voting Democratic, indicating intra-party frustration.
What to Watch
- The outcome of the five too-close-to-call House races, which could adjust the final Democratic majority.
- The impact of Democrat Vikki Goodwin’s leadership in a Republican-controlled Senate.
- Potential filibusters or legislative clashes in the 2027 session.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedDemocrats are expected to win a majority in the Texas House.The Center Square Texas: “Republicans have kept the majority in the Texas Senate but Democrats are expected to win the majority in the Texas House based on called races”
- SupportedRepublicans retained control of the Texas Senate.The Center Square Texas: “Republicans have kept the majority in the Texas Senate”
- SupportedVikki Goodwin defeated Dan Patrick for lieutenant governor.The Center Square Texas: “incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was ousted by Democrat state Rep. Vikki Goodwin”
- SupportedGoodwin will lead the Senate in January, despite its Republican majority.The Center Square Texas: “After the election, Republicans kept their majority but will be led by a Democrat.”
- SupportedRepublicans won the three open Senate seats in districts 3, 11 and 22.The Center Square Texas: “Republicans won all three open state Senate seats in SD 3, 11 and 22.”
- SupportedEight Republican incumbents and five Democratic incumbents won their Senate races.The Center Square Texas: “Of the 16 seats on the ballot, eight incumbent Republicans (SD 1, 2, 4, 5, 18, 21, 28, 31) and five Democrat incumbents won their races”
- SupportedDemocrats could win 86 House seats, with 75 needed for a majority.The Center Square Texas: “75 seats are needed for a majority. Democrats could win 86 seats.”
- SupportedThirteen incumbent House Republicans lost their races.The Center Square Texas: “No incumbent House Democrats lost; 13 incumbent House Republicans did.”
- SupportedNo incumbent House Democrats lost their races.The Center Square Texas: “No incumbent House Democrats lost”
- SupportedCandy Noble filed the bill to require the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, and Don McLaughlin was the former mayor of Uvalde.The Center Square Texas: “Candy Noble in HD 89, who filed the House bill to require the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms. ... Other notable losses include Don McLaughlin, the former mayor of Uvalde”
- SupportedFive House races remained too close to call, with Republican incumbents tied 49-49 or 50-50 in districts 14, 26, 55, 61 and 67.The Center Square Texas: “Five races are too close to call. In each race, conservative incumbent Republicans are tied with their Democratic challengers 49-49 or 50-50. They include Republicans Paul Dyson in HD 14, Matt Morgan in HD 26, Hillary Hickland in HD 55, Keresa Richardson in HD 61 and Jeff Leach in HD 67.”
- SupportedPolitical analysts saw the SD 9 Republican loss as an indictment of Patrick and former Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French; Republicans also cited both as reasons for voting Democratic.The Center Square Texas: “The SD 9 Republican loss is seen by political analysts as an indictment on Patrick, who backed Rehmet’s Republican challenger, and on the former Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French. ... They were also cited as reasons by Republicans as to why they voted for Democrats.”