Texas Democrats Plan 2026 Challenge to GOP Control

Texas Democrats see their strongest opportunity in decades to challenge the Republican Party’s statewide dominance, fueled by economic strain, immigration raids, GOP scandals and changing Latino voter attitudes. Democrat James Talarico’s Senate race against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is effectively tied in one poll, while Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa has narrowed the gap with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. National analysts have moved the Senate contest toward toss-up or Democratic-leaning territory, although the governor’s race remains more favorable to Republicans. Democrats are targeting independents and disaffected Republicans, while Republicans remain vulnerable over rising prices, data centers, power infrastructure and backlash tied to current President Donald Trump. The state has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, making the contests a major test of whether Texas’s long-standing Republican control is beginning to weaken.