Texans are deciding an open US Senate seat in the most expensive Senate race in American history, along with the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and every seat in the Texas House. Republicans have won every statewide race in Texas for three-plus decades, and Democrats are testing whether this is the year that streak ends.
The outcome could also help decide which party controls Congress. Five of the most competitive House races in the country are in San Antonio and South Texas, most of them in districts Republicans redrew last year at President Donald Trump’s urging. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time.
Here’s what Courier Texas is watching.
US Senate: Ken Paxton (R) vs. James Talarico (D)
Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton are locked in a toss-up race for Texas’ open US Senate seat. Talarico, an Austin state representative and former middle school teacher, has led narrowly in most recent polls, while a Fox News poll found the race tied.
Paxton, the state’s three-term attorney general, ousted US Sen. John Cornyn in a May runoff with Trump’s endorsement. Talarico has run against corruption and billionaire Elon Musk, who has put at least $168 million behind Paxton in the most expensive Senate race in US history.
Texas Governor: Greg Abbott (R) vs. Gina Hinojosa (D)
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott holds a narrow lead in polls over Democrat Gina Hinojosa as he seeks a historic fourth term. Hinojosa, an Austin state representative, has focused on Abbott’s ties to Musk and the data center industry, and sued for his office’s communications with Musk.
Lt. Governor: Dan Patrick (R) vs. Vikki Goodwin (D)
Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is favored to win a fourth term over Democrat Vikki Goodwin. Patrick presides over the Texas Senate and controls which bills reach the floor, and he has used that power to pass conservative priorities, including the state’s school voucher program. Goodwin, a state representative from Austin, is trying to become the first Democrat elected lieutenant governor since Bob Bullock in 1994.
Texas Attorney General: Mayes Middleton (R) vs. Nathan Johnson (D)
Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton is favored over Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas, the first open race for the office since 2014. Middleton beat US Rep. Chip Roy in a May primary runoff. The winner will replace Paxton as the state’s top lawyer, an office Paxton used to sue the Biden administration 106 times and to investigate families of transgender children.
Texas Comptroller: Don Huffines (R) vs. Sarah Eckhardt (D)
Republican Don Huffines is favored over Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin in the race for comptroller, the state’s chief financial officer. Huffines, a former state senator from Dallas, challenged Abbott in the 2022 Republican primary for governor. The comptroller certifies the state budget, estimates how much lawmakers can spend, and runs the state’s new school voucher program and its Bitcoin reserve.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner: Nate Sheets (R) vs. Clayton Tucker (D)
Republican Nate Sheets and Democrat Clayton Tucker are facing off to oversee the state’s farm and ranch programs and school lunches as Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Sheets, the founder of Nature Nate’s honey, ousted Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in the March primary with Abbott’s endorsement, and Miller has since urged voters not to back him, the Texas Tribune reported.
Tucker, the secretary of the Texas Farmers Union and a member of a Lampasas ranching family, has campaigned against large AI data centers and challenged Sheets’ eligibility, arguing his honey business doesn’t meet the state’s requirement that the commissioner work in agriculture.
Texas’ 34th Congressional District: Vicente Gonzalez (D) vs. Eric Flores (R)
Democratic US Rep. Vicente Gonzalez holds a slight edge over Republican Eric Flores in a South Texas district Republicans redrew last year. The new map pushed the district north from the Rio Grande Valley to Corpus Christi, and Trump would have carried it by about 10 points in 2024. Gonzalez has run as a moderate focused on cost of living, while Flores, a former federal prosecutor endorsed by Trump, has called Gonzalez ineffective. Read Courier Texas’ preview.
Texas’ 23rd Congressional District: Brandon Herrera (R) vs. Katy Padilla Stout (D)
Republican Brandon Herrera and Democrat Katy Padilla Stout are competing in a tight race for the open seat in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, which became vacant when Republican US Rep. Tony Gonzales resigned in April amid a sexual misconduct scandal. Herrera, who twice challenged Gonzales in Republican primaries, became the nominee when Gonzales dropped out before their runoff. Padilla Stout is a child welfare attorney and first-time candidate. Read Courier Texas’ preview.
Texas’ 35th Congressional District: Carlos De La Cruz (R) vs. Johnny Garcia (D)
Republican Carlos De La Cruz is favored over Democrat Johnny Garcia in Texas’ 35th Congressional District, which Republicans moved out of Austin and redrew from southern Bexar County into more conservative Guadalupe, Wilson, and Karnes counties. The Cook Political Report rates the open seat as leaning Republican.
De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran endorsed by Trump, is the brother of US Rep. Monica De La Cruz. Garcia, a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy who calls himself a “Blue Dog” moderate, has campaigned on household costs. Read Courier Texas’ preview.
Texas’ 28th Congressional District: Henry Cuellar (D) vs Tano Tijerina (R)
Democratic US Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, who has held the seat for more than 20 years, faces Republican Tano Tijerina, the Webb County judge, in a competitive race in a district Trump won by 7 points in 2024 while Cuellar won it by 6. Tijerina, a former Democrat who switched parties after the 2024 election, has argued voters are ready for change. Cuellar has campaigned on border security, lowering costs, and protecting Medicare and Social Security, and he says the redrawn district favors him because it expands into his home base. Read Courier Texas’ preview.
Texas’ 15th Congressional District: Monica De La Cruz (R) vs. Bobby Pulido (D)
Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy-winning Tejano singer, holds a narrow lead over Republican US Rep. Monica De La Cruz in a South Texas district Trump carried by about 18 points in 2024. The Cook Political Report moved the race to toss-up in September. De La Cruz, seeking a third term, has a fundraising edge and the advantages of incumbency, while Pulido has built his campaign around his celebrity and performances across the Rio Grande Valley, including at dozens of quinceañeras. Read Courier Texas’ preview.
