The Texas Tribune talked with voters across the state ahead of election day about the issues that mattered most to them. The races included the governor's contest between a long-tenured incumbent and a former school teacher, and the U.S. Senate race between Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Rep. James Talarico.
In Odessa, voters were divided. Eugenio and Margarita Bersosa, who moved there from Mexico in 1974, said anti-abortion laws, support for Israel and policies on transgender people outweighed rising costs. They voted for the full Republican ticket. Sandra Ward, 83, voted for the Republican slate, saying their values align with hers as a Christian, though she has concerns about allegations of infidelity involving Paxton and said Abbott could have done more on data center development.
Kathleen Hamilton, a 54-year-old county employee and Navy veteran, did not say how she voted. She said Republicans have not maintained a healthy economy and have limited reproductive healthcare access for women. Rudy Ortiz, 66, a maintenance supervisor, said he would vote for Democratic candidates. He said federal immigration agents should detain and remove criminals but that people without criminal records are not getting due process.