Harris County voters weigh Senate, governor races as polls open

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. today for voters in Harris County, Texas. The state is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones, but local polling places operate on a uniform schedule for this general election. Residents in Houston, Pasadena, Pearland, League City, Sugar Land, and Baytown are casting ballots to decide the composition of the U.S. Senate and the governorship. According to Ballotpedia, the U.S. Senate seat in Texas is an open race because incumbent John Cornyn lost the Republican primary runoff. Voters will choose between candidates from the Democratic, Independent, Libertarian, and Republican parties. The governor’s office is also on the ballot, with incumbent Greg Abbott running for re-election.

The Associated Press notes that the 2026 midterm elections are being viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states. In Harris County, voters are making choices that will influence who controls Congress for the final two years of the current presidential term. The state has adopted new congressional maps following mid-decade redistricting, a change that Ballotpedia highlights as a factor in the current House races. All 435 U.S. House seats are up for election nationwide, and every seat in the Texas delegation is on the ballot.

In the U.S. Senate, 35 seats are being decided, including 33 regular elections and two special elections. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, while Democrats hold 45, with two independents caucusing with the Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a majority in the chamber. The Associated Press identifies Texas as one of the key Senate matchups to watch, featuring Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico. President Trump backed Paxton over Senator Cornyn in the primary. The race is taking place in a state where Trump won by 13.6 points in 2024. Winners in these races will begin six-year terms on January 3, 2027.

Other named Senate matchups include North Carolina, where former Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff is running against Representative Mike Collins. Ohio has a special election featuring former Senator Sherrod Brown against Senator Jon Husted. In Michigan, former Representative Mike Rogers is competing against Abdul El-Sayed. Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Kansas, and Alaska also have high-profile contests. The Associated Press reports that economic strain and tariffs have made Maine a competitive state, with Senator Susan Collins facing Democratic former state Senate President Troy Jackson. In New Hampshire, Representative Chris Pappas is running against former Senator John E. Sununu. Minnesota has a four-candidate race for the seat of retiring Senator Tina Smith, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya.

Kansas has become a central part of the fight for Senate control despite being a reliably Republican state. The Associated Press notes that the state has a toss-up to lean Republican rating for the race involving Roger Marshall. In Alaska, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result, adding a layer of legal complexity to the race. The Associated Press describes the election as a moment where voters are struggling with high prices and are angry over an unpopular war with Iran. AP-NORC polling indicates that 35 percent of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s job performance, while about seven in ten say the country is heading in the wrong direction. Most respondents blame the president for high prices.

In the governor’s race, 36 states are electing new or re-elected leaders. Republicans hold 26 governorships and Democrats hold 24. Democrats would need a net gain of two governorships to achieve a nationwide majority for the first time since 2010. The Associated Press identifies Texas as a competitive governor race. In Georgia, Republican health care executive Rick Jackson is running against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy is competing against Amy Acton. In Nevada, Governor Joe Lombardo is running against Attorney General Aaron Ford. The Associated Press notes that Democrats are defending five governorships in states Trump won in 2024, including Michigan and Kansas, while Republicans are defending two in states Harris won, such as New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Associated Press reports that Republicans were bracing to lose the House and were fighting to hold the Senate, with one or two seats potentially tipping either chamber. Democrats described their position as cautiously optimistic. President Trump held dozens of rallies, ending his schedule in Salina, Kansas, where he urged voters to pretend he was on the ballot. His schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. The Associated Press notes that many Republican candidates kept their distance from the president during the final days of the campaign. Trump has continued to make claims about voting fraud, and his administration sued in Alaska and California, raising concerns among Democrats about interference and intimidation of local election officials.

Financially, the 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history. Republican committees outraised and outspent Democratic committees, aided by Trump-affiliated groups and Elon Musk. However, at the candidate level, Democrats outraised their opponents. The Associated Press analysis of AdImpact data shows that 88.1 percent of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts Trump won in 2024. This included more than $850 million in states where he won by 10 points or more. The Associated Press quotes RNC Chairman Joe Gruters, who stated that everything depends on turnout. DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said the American people are angry and want change. These sentiments reflect the divided mood across the country as voters head to the polls.