On Tuesday, Texas voters decided who will represent the state in the first national election of the Donald Trump era. Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke fell to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in a U.S. Senate race that has garnered national attention. Meanwhile, Democrats picked up two U.S. House seats. See the results in statewide races for governor and more, including dozens of Texas Legislative seats and judicial positions.
Projected winners as of print deadline:
Dallas County races
Texas sends 36 representatives to the U.S. House, the second most of any state. Each representative serves a two-year term.
U.S. House – District 30
D ✓ Eddie Bernice Johnson [Incumbent] 166,102 91.1%
L Shawn Jones 16,318 8.9%
U.S. House – District 5
R ✓ Lance Gooden 130,404 62.4%
D Dan Wood 78,394 37.5%
U.S. House – District 32
D ✓ Colin Allred 142,885 52.2%
R Pete Sessions [Incumbent] 125,600 45.9%
Texas Senate – District 23
D ✓ Royce West [Incumbent] 191,215 100%
Texas House – District 100
D ✓ Eric Johnson [Incumbent] 33,751 100%
State Board of Education – District 13
D ✓ Aicha Davis 308,649 76.3%
R A. Denise Russell 95,801 23.7%
Criminal District Attorney
D ✓ John Creuzot 421,796 60.1%
R Faith Johnson [Incumbent] 280,016 39.9%
U.S. Senate
This election is for one of Texas’ two seats in the U.S. Senate. Cruz has held the position for one term after he won the seat in 2012.
It was by far the most competitive statewide race this cycle – and the most closely watched beyond Texas. O’Rourke, a member of Congress from El Paso, ran a massively funded campaign against Cruz, traveling the state relentlessly in hopes of becoming the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas in more than two decades.
Cruz, meanwhile, attacked O’Rourke for being too liberal for Texas while warning the GOP base not to underestimate intense Democratic enthusiasm.
U.S. Senate
R ✓ Ted Cruz [Incumbent] 4,240,942 50.9%
D Beto O’Rourke 4,017,851 48.3%
Governor
The governor is the chief executive of Texas. The seat hasn’t been held by a Democrat since 1995. Typically a blockbuster attraction, the governor’s race this year was a snoozer, unfolding in the shadow of the nationally watched U.S. Senate race.
Valdez, the former sheriff of Dallas County, ran as a scrappy champion of the working class, while Abbott, coming out of his first term, mostly ignored her as he boasted of how the quality of life in Texas has progressed under his leadership.
Abbott also used his massive political operation and fundraising haul to help down-ballot candidates who are in much more competitive races than he is.
Governor
R ✓ Greg Abbott [Incumbent]
4,634,885 55.9%
D Lupe Valdez 3,523,210 42.5%
Lieutenant Governor
The lieutenant governor, the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the state Senate and heavily influences the state budget.
Patrick is the favorite to keep his seat. To win, Collier is relying heavily on Democratic enthusiasm and hoping to siphon off Republican support from Patrick, who drew 76 percent of the vote in March against a more moderate primary challenger. Collier is particularly focused on courting working and retired teachers.
Lieutenant Governor
R ✓ Dan Patrick [Incumbent] 4,241,453 51.3%
D Mike Collier 3,836,063 46.4%
Land Commissioner
The land commissioner manages mineral rights for public lands in Texas and also distributes Hurricane Harvey relief money.
Since Bush took office for his first term in 2015, the General Land Office has overhauled how it manages the Alamo. His Democratic challenger, Suazo, is an energy attorney.
Land Commissioner
R ✓ George P. Bush [Incumbent] 4,414,779 53.7%
D Miguel Suazo 3,542,587 43.1%
Attorney General
The Attorney General is the top lawyer in Texas, representing the state in civil litigation.
Most of Paxton’s first term has been clouded by his indictment three years ago in a securities fraud case. Nelson has seized on it to portray the race as “integrity vs. indictment.”
Despite those legal troubles, Paxton has still managed to emerge as one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies among attorney generals. He has led the charge to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
Attorney General
R ✓ Ken Paxton [Incumbent] 4,172,599 50.6%
D Justin Nelson 3,873,186 47.0%
Agriculture Commissioner
Much of the race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner centers on food – whether immigrants should be able to help harvest it, how crops are traded or what items schools can serve students for lunch.
Miller has received several high-profile endorsements, but his first term has been riddled with controversies. Olson served in the Air Force for 25 years and was one of the military branch’s first female pilots. But the circumstances of her retirement from the military – she was accused by the Pentagon of steering government contracts to a private security firm – has become a campaign issue.
While every statewide Democrat faces an uphill battle this year, experts from both parties say that Olson stands one the best chances of pulling off an upset thanks to Miller’s many missteps, which have incited the ire of even staunchly conservative groups that otherwise share his political beliefs.
Agriculture Commissioner
✓ Sid Miller [Incumbent] Republican 4,202,607 51.3%
Kim Olson Democrat 3,797,355 46.4%
Comptroller
The Comptroller is the state official responsible for collecting taxes, overseeing the state treasury and forecasting the amount of money that’s available for the state’s two-year budget.
Hegar, a former state senator, has held the position for one four-year term.
Comptroller
✓ Glenn Hegar [Incumbent] Republican 4,356,562 53.2%
Joi Chevalier Democrat 3,548,034 43.4%
Railroad Commissioner
The Texas Railroad Commission regulates the state’s booming oil and gas industry. Past efforts to give the 127-year-old agency a more relevant moniker have failed, even though it hasn’t had total oversight of railroads for decades.
Craddick is seeking a second, six-year term. The Midland native faces challenges from McAllen, an architect and urban planner who works as the historic preservation officer for the city of Denton, and Wright, a Vietnam veteran and graduate of the United States Military Academy and Harvard Business School who spent a decade working in the oil equipment manufacturing industry. Both of Craddick’s challengers are considered long shots.
Railroad Commissioner
✓ Christi Craddick [Incumbent] Republican 4,356,658 53.2%
Roman McAllen Democrat 3,588,625 43.9%
Texas Supreme Court
The Texas Supreme Court, which handles civil matters, has nine justices. Three positions are up for election this year. Judges run for office as partisans, and no Democrat has been elected to the court since 1994.
Texas Supreme Court – Place 2
✓ Jimmy Blacklock [Incumbent] Republican 4,341,220 53.2%
Steven Kirkland Democrat 3,822,723 46.8%
Texas Supreme Court – Place 4
✓ John Devine [Incumbent] Republican 4,380,223 53.8%
R.K. Sandill Democrat 3,767,678 46.2%
Texas Supreme Court – Place 6
✓ Jeff Brown [Incumbent] Republican 4,384,508 53.8%
Kathy Cheng Democrat 3,771,910 46.2%
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has nine justices, and three positions are on this year’s ballot. Judges run for office as partisans, and no Democrat has been elected to the court since 1994.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals – Place 1
✓ Sharon Keller [Incumbent] Republican 4,269,823 52.3%
Maria T. (Terri) Jackson Democrat 3,709,987 45.4%
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals – Place 7
✓ Barbara Parker Hervey [Incumbent] Republican 4,408,823 54.2%
Ramona Franklin Democrat 3,726,099 45.8%
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals – Place 8
✓ Michelle Slaughter Republican 4,748,869 74.7%
Mark Ash Libertarian 1,607,588 25.3%
For additional Texas results, visit https://apps.texastribune.org/elections/2018/texas-midterm-election-results.
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