Overview
Texans smashed midterm voter turnout records this election cycle, casting more ballots during the early voting period than they did in the entire 2014 election. The number of young voters doubled between the two elections, driven largely by enthusiasm for top ballot candidates and an increased desire to engage civically after the 2016 presidential election.
While the rumored “Blue Wave” was not enough to topple incumbent U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, it did trickle down to several competitive down ballot races. The effects were most pronounced in Dallas, where shifting demographics led to the flip of several state legislative seats held by Republican incumbents.
Texans continued to elect Republicans to all statewide positions, including the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Incumbent Republicans Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, Comptroller Glenn Hegar, and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller all held onto their seats with mostly comfortable margins, as expected.
The Texas Senate
Republicans lost two of the three seats considered to be in play this election cycle, but they managed to hold onto their supermajority thanks to the unexpected victory of Republican Pete Flores in the recent SD 19 special election. Flores’ victory means the GOP will have 19 seats this session, despite the 2 losses, preserving their supermajority. This will allow Republicans to bring legislation to the floor without Democratic support during the 86th legislative session.
The three Senate seats at risk this election cycle were located in districts carried by Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential elections: SD 10 in Tarrant County, SD 16 in Dallas, and SD 17 in Harris County.
Sen. Joan Huffman (R-SD 17) held her seat, but DFW area Republicans Don Huffines (R-SD 16) and Konni Burton (R-SD 10) lost to challengers Nathan Johnson (D) and Beverly Powell (D) respectively.
The Texas House
The effects of the Blue Wave were most pronounced in the Texas House. The 86th Texas House will consist of 83 Republicans and 67 Democrats, a significant shift from the 95R/55D split during the 85th legislative session. The new party composition of the Texas House may play an interesting role in the upcoming selection of a new Speaker of the House.
Once again, Republican losses were most concentrated in the DFW area. Republican incumbents Ron Simmons (HD 65), Linda Koop (HD 102), Rodney Anderson (HD 105) and Matt Rinaldi (HD 115) lost to their Democratic challengers. Harris County Reps. Mike Schofield (R-132) and Gary Elkins (HD 135) and Central Texas incumbents Paul Workman (R-HD 47) and Tony Dale (R-136) also lost their re-election bids, for a total of eight flipped seats.
Democrats swept the three most competitive races for unoccupied seats in HD 52 and HD 113 where Republican incumbents chose not to run for re-election and HD 114 where Republican incumbent Jason Villalba lost his re- election bid. Democrats James Talarico, Rhetta Bowers, and John Turner won these races, respectively.
Sarah Davis (R-HD 134) and Lyle Larson (R-HD 122) both held their seats comfortably, despite being targeted by Gov. Abbott during their primary campaigns after a tense 85th legislative session.
The Texas Senate
District Winner Opponents SD 2 Bob Hall (R) (I) (59.4%) Kendall Scudder (D) (40.6%) Shirley Layton (D) (20.5%) SD 3 Robert Nichols (R) (I) (78.3%) Bruce Quarles (L) (1.2%) Meg Walsh (D) (41.7%) SD 5 Charles Schwertner (R) (I) (55.1%) Amy Lyons (L) (3.2%) David Romero (D) (40.3%) SD 7 Paul Bettencourt (R) (I) (57.8%) Tom Glass (L) (1.9%) SD 8 Angela Paxton (R) (51.2%) Mark Phariss (D) (48.8%) SD 9 Kelly Hancock (R) (I) (54.1%) Gwenn Burud (D) (45.9%) SD 10 Beverly Powell (D) (51.7%) Konni Burton (R) (I) (48.3%) George Hindman (R) (25.3%) SD 14 Kirk Watson (D) (I) (71.9%) Micah Verlander (L) (2.8%) Randy Orr (R) (32.2%) SD 15 John Whitmire (D) (I) (65.1%) Gilberto Velsquez (L) (2.7%) SD 16 Nathan Johnson (D) (54.1%) Don Huffines (R) (I) (45.9%) Rita Lucido (D) (46.7%) SD 17 Joan Huffman (R) (I) (51.6%) Lauren LaCount (L) (1.8%) SD 23 Royce West (D) (100%) Uncontested SD 25 Donna Campbell (R) (I) (57.7%) Steven Kling (D) (42.3%) SD 30 Pat Fallon (R) (73.7%) Kevin Lopez (D) (26.3%) SD 31 Kel Seliger (R) (I) (87.5%) Jack Westbrook (L) (12.5%) *Senate Districts 1, 4, 6, 11-13, 18-22, and 24 are not up for election until 2020.
The Texas House
District Winner Opponents HD 1 Gary Van Deaver (R) (100%) Uncontested HD 2 Dann Flynn (R) (I) (80.04%) Bill Brannon (D) (19.95%) HD 3 Cecil Bell Jr. (R) (I) (76.02%) Lisa Seger (D) (23.97%) Eston Williams (D) (24.21%) HD 4 Keith Bell (R) (74.02%) D. Allen Miller (L) (1.75%) HD 5 Cole Hefner (R) (I) (79.32%) Bill Liebbe (D) (20.67%) HD 6 Matt Schaefer (R) (I) (75.64%) Neal Katz (IND) (24.35%) HD 7 Jay Dean (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 8 Cody Harris (R) (77.99%) Wesley D. Ratcliff (D) (22.00%) HD 9 Chris Paddie (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested Kimberly Emery (D) (27.42%) HD 10 John Wray (R) (I) (70.28%) Matt Savino (L) (2.28%) HD 11 Travis Clardy (R) (I) (74.37%) Alec Johnson (D) (25.62%) HD 12 Kyle Kacal (R) (I) (67.58%) Marianne Arnold (D) (32.41%) HD 13 Ben Leman (R) (79.33%) Cecil Ray Webster, Sr. (D) (20.66%) HD 14 John Raney (R) (I) (56.35%) Josh Wilkinson (D) (43.64%) HD 15 Steve Toth (R) (67.17%) Lorena Perez McGill (D) (32.82%) HD 16 Will Metcalf (R) (I) (80.34%) Mike Midler (D) (19.65%) HD 17 John P. Cyrier (R) (I) (62.55%) Michelle Ryan (D) (37.44%) HD 18 Ernest Bailes (R) (I) (75.52%) Fred Lemond (D) (24.47%) HD 19 James White (R) (I) (83.21%) Sherry Williams (D) (16.78%) HD 20 Terry M. Wilson (R) (I) (71.64%) Stephen M. Wyman (D) (28.35%) HD 21 Dade Phelan (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 22 Joe Deshotel (D) (I) 100% Uncontested Amanda Jamrok (D) (41.11%) HD 23 Mayes Middleton (R) (56.76%) Lawrence Johnson (L) (2.12%) John Y. Phelps (D) (28.16%) HD 24 Greg Bonnen (R) (I) (69.78%) Dick Illyes (L) (2.04%) HD 25 Dennis Bonnen (R) (100%) Uncontested HD 26 D.F. "Rick" Miller (R) (I) (52.48%) L. Sarah DeMerchant (D) (47.51%) HD 27 Ron Reynolds (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 28 John Zerwas (R) (I) (54.20%) Meghan Soggins (D) (45.79%) HD 29 Ed Thompson (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 30 Geanie W. Morrison (R) (I) (74.71%) Robin Hayter (D) (25.28%) HD 31 Ryan Guillen (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 32 Todd Hunter (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 33 Justin Holland (R) (I) (65.04%) Laura Gunn (D) (34.95%) HD 34 Abel Herrero (D) (I) (61.09%) Chris Hale (R) (38.90%) HD 35 Oscar Longoria (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 36 Sergio Munoz, Jr. (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 37 Alex Dominguez (D) (100%) Uncontested HD 38 Eddie Lucio III (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested Armando "Mando" Martinez (D) (I) HD 39 Uncontested (100%) HD 40 Terry Canales (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 41 Bobby Guerra (D) (I) (61.47%) Hilda Garza DeShazo (R) (38.52%) HD 42 Richard Pena Raymond (D) (I) (74.31%) Luis De La Garza (R) (25.68%) HD 43 J.M. Lozano (R) (I) (61.14%) Dee Ann Torres Miller (D) (38.85%) HD 44 John Kuempel (R) (I) (68.67%) John D. Rodgers (D) (31.32%) HD 45 Erin Zwiener (D) (51.56%) Ken Strange (R) (48.43%) Gabriel Nila (R) (14.97%) HD 46 Sheryl Cole (D) (82.21%) Kevin Ludlow (L) (2.81%) HD 47 Vikki Goodwin (D) (52.34%) Paul D. Workman (R) (I) (47.65%) HD 48 Donna Howard (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 49 Gina Hinojosa (D) (I) (83.00%) Kyle Austin (R) (16.99%) HD 50 Celia Israel (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 51 Eddie Rodriguez (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 52 James Talarico (D) (51.68%) Cynthia Flores (R) (48.31%) HD 53 Andrew S. Murr (R) (I) (78.56%) Stephanie Lochte Ertel (D) (21.43%) HD 54 Brad Buckley (R) (53.84%) Kathy Richerson (D) (46.15%) HD 55 Hugh D. Shine (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 56 Charles "Doc" Anderson (R) (I) (65.79%) Katherine Turner-Pearson (D) (34.20%) HD 57 Trent Ashby (R) (I) (79.21%) Jason Rogers (D) (20.78%) HD 58 DeWayne Burns (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 59 J.D. Sheffield (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 60 Mike Lang (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 61 Phil King (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested Valerie N. Hefner (D) (21.89%) HD 62 Reggie Smith (R) (76.15%) David Schaab (L) (1.94%) HD 63 Tan Parker (R) (I) (67.16%) Laura Haines (D) (32.83%) Andrew Morris (D) (44.46%) HD 64 Lynn Stucky (R) (I) (52.83%) Nick Dietrich (L) (2.69%) HD 65 Michelle Beckley (D) (51.13%) Ron Simmons (R) (I) (48.86%) HD 66 Matt Shaheen (R) (I) (50.27%) Sharon Hirsch (D) (49.72%) HD 67 Jeff Leach (R) (I) (51.13%) Sarah Depew (D) (48.86%) HD 68 Drew Springer (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 69 James Frank (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 70 Scott Sanford (R) (I) (61.77%) Julie Luton (D) (38.22%) HD 71 Stan Lambert (R) (I) (78.07%) Sam Hatton (D) (21.92%) HD 72 Drew Darby (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 73 Kyle Biedermann (R) (I) (74.80%) Stephanie Phillips (D) (25.19%) HD 74 Poncho Nevarez (D) (100%) Uncontested HD 75 Mary E. Gonzalez (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 76 Cesar J. Blanco (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 77 Evelina "Lina" Ortega (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 78 Joe Moody (D) (I) (65.19%) Jeffrey Lane (R) (34.80%) HD 79 Joe C. Pickett (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 80 Tracy King (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 81 Brooks Landgraf (R) (I) (75%) Armando Gamboa (D) (25%) HD 82 Tom Craddick (R) (I) (80.3%) Spencer Bounds (D) (19.7%) HD 83 Dustin Burrows (R) (I) (77.3%) Drew Landry (D) (22.7%) HD 84 John Frullo (R) (I) (60.2%) Samantha Carillo Fields (D) (39.8%) HD 85 Phil Stephenson (R) (I) (56.5%) Jennifer Cantu (D) (43.5%) HD 86 John Smithee (R) (I) (82.3%) Mike Purcell (D) (17.7%) HD 87 Four Price (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 88 Ken King (R) (I) (83.8%) Ezekial Barron (D) (16.2%) HD 89 Candy Noble (R) (I) (59.6%) Ray Ash (D) (40.4%) HD 90 Ramon Romero Jr. (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 91 Stephanie Klick (R) (I) (63.5%) Jeromey Sims (D) (36.5%) Steve Riddell (D) (47.4%) HD 92 Jonathan Stickland (R) (I) (49.8%) Eric Espinoza (L) (2.8%) HD 93 Matt Krause (R) (I) (53.9%) Nancy Bean (D) (46.1) Finnigan Jones (D) (43.9%) HD 94 Tony Tinderholt (R) (I) (52.5%) Jessica Pallett (L) (3.6%) Stephen West (R) (21.8%) HD 95 Nicole Collier (D) (I) (76.5%) Joshua Burns (L) (1.7%) Ryan Ray (D) (47.2%) HD 96 Bill Zedler (R) (I) (50.9%) Stephen Parmer (L) (1.9%) Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin (D) (44.8%) HD 97 Craig Goldman (R) (I) (53.2%) Rod Wingo (L) (1.9%) Mica Ringo (D) (29.3%) HD 98 Giovanni Capriglione (R) (I) (68.3%) H. Todd J. Moore (L) (2.4%) HD 99 Charlie Geren (R) (I) (64.3%) Michael Stackhouse (D) (35.7%) HD 100 Eric Johnson (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 101 Chris Turner (D) (I) (87.4%) James Allen (L) (12.6%) HD 102 Ana-Maria Ramos (D) (52.8%) Linda Koop (R) (I) (47.2%) HD 103 Rafael M. Anchia (D) (I) (78.2%) Jerry Fortenberry (R) (21.8%) HD 104 Jessica Gonzalez (D) (100%) Uncontested HD 105 Thresa "Terry" Meza (D) (54.7%) Rodney Anderson (R) (I) (45.3%) HD 106 Jared Patterson (R) (58.3%) Ramona Thompson (D) (41.7%) HD 107 Victoria Neave (D) (I) (57.1%) Deanna Maria Metzger (R) (42.9%) HD 108 Morgan Meyer (R) (I) (50.3%) Joanna Cattanach (D) (49.7%) HD 109 Carl Sherman (D) (98.5%) Casey Littlejohn (Write-In) (1.5%) HD 110 Toni Rose (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 111 Yvonne Davis (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 112 Angie Chen Button (R) (I) (51.1%) Brandy K Chambers (D) (48.9%) HD 113 Rhetta Andrews Bowers (D) (53.5%) Jonathan Boos (R) (46.5%) HD 114 John Turner (D) (55.6%) Lisa Luby Ryan (R) (44.4%) HD 115 Julie Johnson (D) (56.7%) Matt Rinaldi (R) (I) (43.3%) HD 116 Trey Martinez Fischer (D) (70.4%) Fernando Padron (R) (29.6%) HD 117 Philip Cortez (D) (I) (57.37%) Michael Berlanga (R) (42.62%) HD 118 Leo Pacheco (D) (58.04%) John Lujan (R) (41.95%) HD 119 Roland Gutierrez (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 120 Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D) (I) (68.36%) Ronald Payne (R) (31.63%) Celina D. Montoya (D) (44.68%) HD 121 Steve Allison (R) (53.22%) Mallory Olfers (L) (2.08%) HD 122 Lyle Larson (I) (R) (62.00%) Claire Barnett (D) (37.99%) HD 123 Diego Bernal (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 124 Ina Minjarez (D) (I) (67.64%) Johnny S. Arredondo (R) (32.35%) HD 125 Justin Rodriguez (D) (I) (81.38%) Eric S. Pina (L) (18.61%) HD 126 E. Sam Harless (R) (54.88%) Natali Hurtado (D) (45.11%) HD 127 Dan Huberty (R) (I) (80.29%) Ryan Woods (L) (19.70%) HD 128 Briscoe Cain (R) (I) (100%) Uncontested Alexander Jonathan Karjeker (D) (41.72%) HD 129 Dennis Paul (R) (I) (56.61%) Joseph Majsterski (L) (1.66%) Fred Infortunio (D) (29.61%) HD 130 Tom Oliverson (R) (I) (68.51%) Roy Eriksen (L) (1.87%) HD 131 Alma Allen (D) (I) (85.8%) Syed S. Ali (R) (14.2%) Mike Schofield (R) (I) (49.1%) HD 132 Gina Calanni (D) (49.2%) Daniel Arevalo (L) (1.7%) HD 133 Jim Murphy (R) (I) (58.3%) Marty Schexynayder (D) (41.7%) HD 134 Sarah Davis (R) (I) (53.4%) Allison Lami Sawyer (D) (46.6%) Gary Elkins (R) (I) (47.7%) HD 135 Jon Rosenthal (D) (50.8%) Paul Bilyeu (L) (1.5%) Tony Dale (R) (I) (43.8%) HD 136 John H Bucy III (D) (53.3%) Zach Parks (L) (2.9%) HD 137 Gene Wu (D) (I) (88.3%) Lee Sharp (L) (11.7%) HD 138 Dwayne Bohac (R) (I) (50.1%) Adam Milasincic (D) (49.8%) HD 139 Jarvis Johnson (D) (I) (92.8%) Shohn Trojacek (L) (7.2%) HD 140 Armando Lucio Walle (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 141 Senfronia Thompson (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 142 Harold Dutton Jr. (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 143 Ana Hernandez (D) (I) (100%) Uncontested HD 144 Mary Ann Perez (D) (I) (61.2%) Ruben Villarreal (R) (38.8%) HD 145 Carol Alvarado (D) (I) (90.3%) Clayton Hunt (L) (9.7%) HD 146 Shawn Nicole Thierry (D) (I) (92.9%) JJ Campbell (L) (7.1%) HD 147 Garnet Coleman (D) (I) (80.8%) Thomas Wang (R) (19.2%) HD 148 Jessica Farrar (D) (I) (67.9%) Ryan McConnico (R) (32.1%) HD 149 Hubert Vo (D) (I) (88.3%) Aaron Close (L) (11.7%) HD 150 Valoree Swanson (R) (I) (57.8%) Michael Shawn Kelly (42.2%)