Washington: Democrats swept Texas from the top of the ballot to the state House in the US Midterm elections, ousting Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, winning the Attorney General’s office that Ken Paxton used to investigate H-1B visa use, and taking control of the Texas House of Representatives for the first time since Republicans won it in the 2002 election.
The down-ballot results deepen a night in which Democrat James Talarico defeated Paxton for the US Senate and Gina Hinojosa unseated Governor Greg Abbott.
With about 99 per cent of the expected vote counted, Talarico led Paxton by about 55 per cent to 43 per cent, and Hinojosa led Abbott by about 53 per cent to 46 per cent. The Senate race shifted about 26 points towards Democrats compared with the 2024 presidential vote, and the governor’s race about 21 points.
In the race for lieutenant governor, which in Texas carries the gavel of the state Senate, Democrat Vikki Goodwin defeated Patrick by about 52 per cent to 46 per cent. Patrick had held the post since 2015.
Democrat Nathan Johnson was projected to win the open Attorney General’s seat, leading Republican Mayes Middleton by about 52 per cent to 46 per cent.
The office matters to Indian professionals in Texas. As Attorney General, Paxton announced in April that he had issued civil investigative demands to “nearly 30 North Texas businesses” over suspected H-1B fraud.
“I will not allow the H-1B program to be abused by bad actors seeking to use it as a loophole for allowing foreign nationals to invade Texas,” Paxton said at the time, according to his office’s release.
Beneficiaries born in India accounted for about 70 per cent of approved H-1B petitions in fiscal 2025, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Whether Johnson continues the investigations when he takes office in January is not yet known.
The Texas Tribune reported that Democrats, who entered the night with 62 of the 150 House seats and needed to flip 14, were on track to net about 21 seats, which would give them about 83 seats to Republicans’ 67 if the results hold.
Republicans kept control of the Texas Senate, denying Democrats a full trifecta. Goodwin will preside over a Republican-majority Senate, and the Tribune said the GOP majority was expected to consider new rules limiting her powers.
The race for Speaker began on election night. Representative Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat first elected in 1972, announced her candidacy with the backing of at least 11 Democrats, the Tribune reported.
“I am grateful for the support of my colleagues, and I am ready to lead this House with the experience, respect, and determination this moment demands,” Thompson said, according to the Tribune. “This is an opportunity to turn the page, bring people together, and get to work for every Texas family.”
If elected, she would be the first woman and the first Black lawmaker to serve as Speaker of the Texas House, Texas Scorecard reported. The full House will choose the Speaker when the session opens in January 2027.
The Texas wave included Indian American candidates. Democrat Pooja Sethi won the open 47th House District in Austin with about 63 per cent of the vote, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s count. Democrat Sandeep Srivastava lost in the 66th District with about 45 per cent.
NBC News’ exit poll of Texas voters found that 62 per cent held an unfavourable opinion of Paxton, against 53 per cent who viewed Talarico favourably. About 15 per cent named immigration as the most important issue facing the country, behind the economy and the state of democracy.
Hinojosa will be the first Democrat elected governor of Texas since Ann Richards in 1990. Talarico is the first Democrat to win a US Senate race in the state in more than three decades.
The new officials take office in January.
