Texas’ primary election season came to a close May 26 as candidates declared victory in dozens of federal, state and local runoff races.
The winner of each runoff will advance to the Nov. 3 general election, joining candidates who won their primaries outright in March. Voters will see 18 statewide contests on the November ballot, alongside all congressional seats, most state legislative seats, eight State Board of Education seats and a variety of local positions.
Keep reading for the details on the November election, including an overview of state races and key election dates. For more local and state results from the May 26 runoff election, visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
The big picture
May 26 was a successful night for Republican challengers, unofficial election results show—state Attorney General Ken Paxton unseated four-term incumbent John Cornyn in the Republican race for U.S. Senate, while former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French narrowly defeated incumbent Jim Wright in the Republican race for state railroad commissioner.
Two state senators—Nathan Johnson, a Dallas Democrat, and Mayes Middleton, a Galveston Republican—won their respective runoffs in the Texas attorney general race, Community Impact reported. With Paxton running for the U.S. Senate, the office is open for the first time in more than a decade.
The Republican and Democratic nominees for eight statewide offices are listed below in alphabetical order by last name. All results from the May 26 runoff election are unofficial until canvassed.
U.S. Senate: U.S. senators serve staggered six-year terms, and whoever is elected will work alongside Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. There is no incumbent in this race.
- Attorney General Ken Paxton (Republican)
- State Rep. James Talarico (Democrat)
Texas governor: As Texas’ top elected official, the governor signs and vetoes legislation, serves as commander-in-chief of the state military and appoints members of state agencies or advisory boards.
- Greg Abbott (Republican; incumbent)
- State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (Democrat)
Texas lieutenant governor: The lieutenant governor leads the Texas Senate and can exercise the powers of the governor if the governor dies, resigns, is removed from office or is absent from the state, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
- State Rep. Vikki Goodwin (Democrat)
- Dan Patrick (Republican; incumbent)
Texas attorney general: The attorney general serves as Texas’ top lawyer and law enforcement officer. There is no incumbent in this race.
- State Sen. Nathan Johnson (Democrat)
- State Sen. Mayes Middleton (Republican)
Texas comptroller: The comptroller is Texas’ chief financial officer, overseeing government spending and administering the state’s education savings account program. There is no incumbent in this race.
- State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (Democrat)
- Businessman Don Huffines (Republican)
Texas land commissioner: The Texas General Land Office manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the state's Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as The Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs.
- Dawn Buckingham (Republican; incumbent)
- Bay City council member Benjamin Flores (Democrat)
Texas agriculture commissioner: The commissioner leads the Texas Department of Agriculture, which regulates agriculture, administers nutrition programs and provides rural economic development assistance. There is no incumbent in this race.
- Businessman Nate Sheets (Republican)
- Rancher Clayton Tucker (Democrat)
Texas railroad commissioner: The Texas Railroad Commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry. The agency has three commissioners who are elected to staggered six-year terms. There is no incumbent in this race.
- Former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French (Republican)
- State Rep. Jon Rosenthal (Democrat)
Third-party candidates, including independents, Libertarian Party candidates and Green Party candidates, may also appear on the November ballot.
More details
Texans will also cast their votes in November for 10 statewide judicial positions, including four seats on the Texas Supreme Court, three seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and three seats on the 15th Court of Appeals, which hears cases brought by or against state agencies and universities.
Sixteen state Senate seats and all 150 state House seats are up for election this year, and eight of Texas’ 15 State Board of Education seats will appear on the ballot.
Voters will also select their representatives in the U.S. House after 37 of Texas’ 38 congressional districts were redrawn last year.
Republicans currently hold all statewide offices on the ballot, and no Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.
Dates to know
- Oct. 5: last day to register to vote in the November election
- Oct. 19: early in-person voting begins
- Oct. 23: deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot
- Oct. 30: last day to vote early
- Nov. 3: midterm Election Day
More information about election dates and deadlines is available on the
secretary of state’s website.
