Harris County Voters Reject Abbott, Send Talarico to Senate

James Talarico defeated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday to win a U.S. Senate seat, marking the first time a Democrat has captured a Texas statewide office in more than 30 years. Talarico, a former state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, ran against Paxton with a campaign focused on the economy. He criticized the attorney general for a series of political scandals that have defined Paxton's career. The result ends a long stretch of Republican dominance in Texas elections.

The victory is part of a broader shift in national power. ABC News projects that Democrats have flipped at least six Senate seats, including in Republican strongholds like Kansas and South Carolina. In the House of Representatives, Democrats gained enough seats to take control of the chamber. This change in the balance of power could limit the executive influence of President Donald Trump. It may also affect domestic and foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding the ongoing war with Iran and rising inflation.

Voters in Texas and across the country expressed dissatisfaction with the current administration. A poll conducted by ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos found that Trump’s approval rating dropped to 37% two weeks before the midterms. That figure is the lowest of his current term. His disapproval rating reached 62%, a record high across both of his presidential terms. About 65% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, matching the worst rating recorded for former President Joe Biden in 2023.

President Trump responded to the results on social media and in interviews. He told The New York Times that he is willing to work with the new Democratic leadership in Congress. He stated that he is absolutely willing to accept the election results. However, he also posted a photo of a hat with the word "VETO" on it. On his social media platform X, he wrote that he was not on the ballot and claimed he would have won in a landslide if he had been.

Other key Senate races also flipped to Democrats. Annie Andrews is projected to win the South Carolina seat previously held by Lindsey Graham. Roy Cooper is projected to win the North Carolina seat, defeating Michael Whatley. Jon Ossoff is projected to hold his Georgia seat against Rep. Mike Collins. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton is projected to defeat incumbent Roger Marshall. In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins conceded the race to Democrat Troy Jackson. These results ensure that Democrats will hold a majority in the Senate, requiring them to win four additional seats to shift control from the 53 seats currently held by Republicans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the first Black speaker of the House if he is elected to lead the party in January. He has promised to push for dramatic reform of the Supreme Court. Democrats are also aiming to elect at least 100 women to the House, which would set a new record. Currently, 125 women hold House seats, including 95 Democrats and 30 Republicans. The incoming 120th Congress will begin with these new leadership structures in place.