Texas Democrats seize control of state government and key courts
Election results shift power in the executive branch and judiciary, giving the party its most influence in three decades.
By Tessa Cooper ·
Residents of Texas will see a new group of officials lead state government and oversee the judicial system following the November 3 general election. Democrats captured the governor's mansion, a U.S. Senate seat, and every statewide judicial office on the ballot. This marks the first time in decades that the party holds such a comprehensive slate of leadership positions.
The shift in power began during the Republican primary season, when incumbent officials lost to challengers. Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated U.S. Senator John Cornyn by 28 points, ending Cornyn's 24-year tenure. Comptroller Glenn Hegar left his post to lead the Texas A&M University System, while Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright also lost their primaries. These departures created open seats that Democrats later filled.
State Representative James Talarico of Round Rock won the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Cornyn. Talarico campaigned on loyalty to Texas over party donors and pledged to represent residents who cannot afford a personal senator. He will join Republican Ted Cruz in the Senate, with Cruz facing reelection in 2030.
In the executive branch, Democrats took control of the lieutenant governor's office and the attorney general's office. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, a body that remains under Republican control. However, Democrats are poised to take a majority in the Texas House. Katherine Fischer, executive director of Texas Majority PAC, noted that the new lieutenant governor will have significant power to manage the Senate despite the divided legislature.
The Texas Railroad Commission saw a change in its composition. State Representative Jon Rosenthal of Houston defeated Republican Bo French, who had gained national attention for a social media post. Rosenthal, an engineer with a career in oil and gas, becomes the only Democrat on the three-member commission. The other two members, Christie Craddick and Wayne Christian, remain Republican.
Judicial races produced a complete Democratic sweep. The Texas Supreme Court, which moves from solid Republican control to a five-Republican, four-Democrat split, elected four new justices including the chief justice. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court for criminal cases, also elected three new Democratic justices. All three seats on the ballot were carried by Democrats, replacing judges who had previously ruled against Attorney General Paxton's authority to prosecute election fraud.
The newly created Texas 15th Court of Appeals also shifted to Democratic control. Three Republican appointees from Governor Greg Abbott lost their bids for full terms. This court handles cases involving state leaders and appeals from the state's new business court. The incoming Democratic governor will now hold the power to appoint judges to that business court.
Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic Party, acknowledged the operational challenges of managing so many new offices. He stated that the party will need to build staffing capacity to operate effectively across the executive and judicial branches. The new leadership team begins its term shortly after the election, with the first legislative session scheduled for the coming year.
