Houston Public Media's Party Politics podcast looked at the 2026 midterm elections in its latest episode. Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina discussed Democratic wins, including James Talarico's U.S. Senate victory and Gina Hinojosa's win in the race for governor. The episode also said Democrats had gained control of both chambers of Congress.
The hosts discussed whether the election was a referendum on President Donald Trump. They pointed to concerns over the economy, immigration, foreign policy and Republican culture-war policies as factors that may have contributed to the Democratic results.
In Texas, the hosts talked about changes in the electorate and the return of Latino voters to the Democratic coalition. They said the Republican redistricting strategy did not produce its intended results. The episode also covered what comes next for Texas Republicans, whether Democrats can keep their power, and what the results could mean for the 2028 presidential race.