In brief

• Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race, the first Democrat to win a Texas Senate seat since 1988.
• Elon Musk spent more than $160 million backing Paxton, without success.
• Democrats also won the Texas governorship and gained Senate seats in several other states, taking control of the Senate.

Democratic gains in Texas

Democrats won the governor's race and the U.S. Senate race in Texas, a traditional Republican stronghold, in the midterm elections held on November 3. Jina Ortiz Hinojosa will become the state's first Democratic governor since Ann Richards, and James Talarico will be the first Democrat to represent Texas in the Senate since 1988 (Демократы победили Маска – Charter 97) (Миллионов Илона Маска не хватило! Демократы победили в Техасе спустя 32 года – haberler.com).

Donald Trump carried Texas by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024. This time, Democrats fielded candidates in every district of the state and ran a coordinated campaign. Their wins were accompanied by gains for other party candidates in down-ballot races (Доброе демократическое утро – Charter 97).

Musk's spending fails to save Paxton

Elon Musk spent more than $160 million supporting Republican Senator Ken Paxton, but Paxton lost to Talarico. Republican-aligned groups also ran AI-generated advertisements mocking Talarico's positions. The ads did not change the outcome.

Talarico campaigned against the outsized influence of billionaires in American politics and presented himself as a candidate of working families.

Wider midterm results

Across the country, Democrats took control of the Senate, reaching 52 of 100 seats, and were on track to win the House of Representatives. Their Senate gains included seats in Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as Texas. In Maine, Republican Susan Collins conceded to Democrat Troy Jackson, a former logger and longtime state legislator (Демократы победили в еще одном «колеблющимся» штате – Charter 97).

A record number of women will also serve as governors after the elections. Among them is Amy Acton in Ohio. Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia will become the first Black woman to lead a U.S. state (Женщины получили рекордное число губернаторских постов в США – Charter 97).

Reaction

Trump said he fully accepts the results and is ready to work with Democrats. Commentators noted that a Congress controlled by the opposition could open investigations, block appointments and scrutinize spending, which would constrain the president's agenda.