Democrats needed to win 14 seats to take majority control of the Texas House, which Republicans have held since 2003. By early Wednesday afternoon, the Associated Press had called 11 Republican-held seats for Democrats, and Republican incumbents had conceded three others. Democrats also led in at least seven more GOP districts where all Election Day votes had been counted.
If those results hold, Democrats would enter the January legislative session with 83 seats to Republicans' 67. The totals could still change after recounts and the counting of provisional and mail-in ballots. Republicans kept control of the state Senate, according to the report.
Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat, won the governor's race, and Democrat Vikki Goodwin defeated Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Goodwin is poised to serve as the Senate's presiding officer, though Republicans were expected to consider limiting her powers through new chamber rules. House Democrats' caucus chair, Gene Wu, had predicted in September that his party would flip the House. GOP data consultant Ross Hunt said it looked like Republicans would lose control of the House.