Texas 2026 elections

Political landscape in Texas

Overview

Texas, in the south-central United States, borders New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana; its border with Mexico follows the Rio Grande, and its coast faces the Gulf of Mexico. It ranks second among the states in both area and population, with about 31.7 million people as estimated for 2025. Austin is the capital, Houston is the largest city, and Greater Houston and the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex are the largest metropolitan areas. Spain was the first European power to claim the territory, which became part of Mexico in 1821; settlers then fought the Texas Revolution, whose battles included the Alamo, and in 1836 created the independent Republic of Texas. Texas entered the Union in 1845 as the 28th state, an event that helped trigger the Mexican–American War, and later seceded to join the Confederacy during the Civil War. After a long period of economic stagnation, the state grew substantially in the 20th century. Its diversified economy includes aerospace, technology, energy, manufacturing and agriculture; Texas ranks second in gross state product and has led all states in export revenue since 2002.

Officeholders

As of October 2026, the governor of Texas is Greg Abbott (Republican), and the state's US senators are John Cornyn (Republican) and Ted Cruz (Republican).

2026 elections

On November 3, 2026, voters in Texas will decide the race for a US Senate seat, the race for governor, contests in 38 US House districts and a local ballot measure. The local measure, in League City, concerns police use of Flock cameras.