Texas Voters Weigh Senate, Governor and House Seats Tuesday

Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Rep. James Talarico top the ballot in the race for U.S. Senate, the most expensive statewide contest in Texas this year. Campaigns and outside groups have spent more than a quarter-billion dollars on advertising in the race. Paxton unseated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary. Recent polls show Talarico narrowly ahead of Paxton. Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats nationwide to take the majority in January.

Gov. Greg Abbott is running for a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Abbott has won all seven of his previous statewide elections, with his closest margin a 10.9 percentage point victory in the 2022 gubernatorial race. The Texas Politics Project's October poll showed Hinojosa with a one-point lead. The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia's Center for Politics have moved the rating from Solid/Safe Republican to Likely Republican and then to Lean Republican. A Democrat has not won the governor's race since Ann Richards' reelection in 1990.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin. The Texas Politics Project's October poll showed Goodwin with a 3-point lead. As president of the state Senate, the lieutenant governor decides what legislation reaches the floor.

Early voting closed and voters can cast ballots in person Tuesday, Nov. 3. Long lines, voting machine problems and other issues at the polls are being reported to CBS News Texas.

In Dallas County, U.S. House District 24 covers the northwest corner of Tarrant County along with parts of northern and northeastern Dallas County. Republican U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne is running for a fourth term against Democratic candidate Kevin Burge, a military veteran. District 30 stretches across areas with large Black and Hispanic populations, where Democratic nominee Frederick Haynes III faces Republican Everett Jackson. Haynes is the pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church. Jackson is a small business owner and community activist. The winner replaces Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who opted to run for U.S. Senate.

District 32 was redrawn in 2025 redistricting from northern and eastern Dallas County to a line stretching 100 miles from North Dallas into East Texas. Republican Jace Yarborough is running against Democrat Dan Barrios. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson was drawn out of the district and ran unsuccessfully for the nomination in the 33rd District.

State House Districts 108 and 112 are among 12 state House races rated highly competitive by The Texas Tribune. State Rep. Morgan Meyer is defending the 108th District, which covers the Park Cities and parts of North Dallas, against Democrat Allison Mitchell, a small business owner and children's book author. Meyer, a six-term incumbent and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, won his seat by 10.2 percentage points in 2024. State Rep. Angie Chen Button is seeking her tenth term in the 112th District against Democrat Zach Herbert, a Marine veteran and attorney. The district runs from Addison through Richardson into Garland and Sachse, and south through Rowlett and Sunnyvale.

State Senate District 9 pits incumbent Democratic state Sen. Taylor Rehmet against Republican Leigh Wambsganss. Rehmet won 57% to 43% in a Jan. 31 special election, the first time a Democrat won the seat since 1992.