Texas voters go to the polls Tuesday in a midterm election with several competitive statewide and local contests. The main race is for U.S. Senate, between Democratic state Rep. James Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. A win by Talarico would give Democrats their first U.S. Senate victory in Texas since 1988, and their first statewide win of any kind since 1994.
Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking to hold off state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who has gained ground late in the race. Texas also has a large slate of competitive U.S. House and state legislative races for the first time in years. Republicans are also defending seats in down-ballot races that they rarely have to defend.
More than 7.7 million Texans voted early, in person or by mail. That is the highest midterm early-turnout rate on record in modern-day Texas. Earlier in the primaries, longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn lost his seat.