2026 Texas Senate election

Last updated

2026 Texas Senate election
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←  2024 November 3, 20262028 →
16 of the 31 seats in the Texas Senate
16 seats needed for a majority
  3x4.svg Carol Alvarado 2012.jpg
Leader Tan Parker Carol Alvarado
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 12th–Flower Mound 6th–Houston
Last election8 seats, 45.00%7 seats, 54.88%
Current seats2011
Seats neededSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 5
Seats up124
2026 Texas State Senate election.svg
Map of the incumbents:
     Republican incumbent     Democratic incumbent
     No election
Incumbent Majority Leader

Tan Parker
Republican



Elections to the Texas Senate will be held concurrently to the 2026 Texas House of Representatives elections on November 3, 2026. [1]

Contents

Retirements

  1. District 3: Robert Nichols is retiring [2]
  2. District 4: Brandon Creighton resigned early to serve as Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System [3]
  3. District 11: Mayes Middleton is retiring to run for Attorney General [4]
  4. District 22: Brian Birdwell is retiring [5]

Special elections

As of July 2025, one special election is scheduled to fill an unexpired term.

2025 District 9 special election

Kelly Hancock resigned to become chief clerk of the Texas Comptroller's office in June 2025. A special election to serve the remainder of the term took place on November 4th, 2025. [6] Democratic candidate Taylor Rehmet received the most votes at 47.6%. He was followed by Republicans Leigh Wambsganss, 36%, and John Huffman, 16%. [7] Special elections in Texas require a candidate to receive a majority to win, so Rehmet and Wambsganss will head to a runoff election scheduled January 31, 2026. [8]

Declared Candidates

Withdrawn

Endorsements

John Huffman (R)

State legislators

Mayors

Organizations

  • Fort Worth Police Officers Association [16]

Newspapers and publications

Leigh Wambsganss (R)

Executive branch officials

Federal officials

Statewide officials

State legislators

County officials

Notable individuals

Organizations

2026 District 4 special election

Brandon Creighton resigned to serve as Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. [3] A special election is scheduled for May 2, 2026. [28]

Candidates

Declared

Summary of results by district

† - Incumbent not seeking re-election

District Incumbent PartyElected SenatorParty
1st Bryan Hughes Rep
2nd Bob Hall Rep
3rd Robert Nichols†Rep
4th VacantN/A
5th Charles Schwertner Rep
9th VacantN/A
11th Mayes Middleton†Rep
13th Borris Miles Dem
18th Lois Kolkhorst Rep
19th Roland Gutierrez Dem
21st Judith Zaffirini Dem
22nd Brian Birdwell†Rep
24th Pete Flores Rep
26th Jose Menendez Dem
28th Charles Perry Rep
31st Kevin Sparks Rep

Detailed results

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 18 • District 19 • District 21 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 31

District 1

Incumbent Republican Bryan Hughes has yet to announce re-election plans. [29]

District 2

Incumbent Republican Bob Hall is running for re-election. [30]

Republican primary

Declared

District 3

Incumbent Republican Robert Nichols is retiring. [32]

Republican primary

Declared
  • Trent Ashby, state representative from the 9th district (2013-present) [33]
  • Rhonda Ward, State Republican Executive Committee member [34]

District 4

Incumbent will be determined by the May 2, 2026 special election.

District 5

Incumbent Republican Charles Schwertner is running for re-election. [35]

District 9

The incumbent will be determined in the January 31, 2026 special election runoff. [7]

District 11

Incumbent Republican Mayes Middleton is retiring to run for Attorney General. [4]

Republican primary

Declared
Endorsements
Dennis Paul
Statewide officials

District 13

Incumbent Democrat Borris Miles has yet to announce re-election plans.

District 18

Incumbent Republican Lois Kolkhorst has yet to announce re-election plans.

District 19

Incumbent Democrat Roland Gutierrez is running for re-election.

District 21

Incumbent Democrat Judith Zaffirini is running for re-election.

District 22

Incumbent Republican Brian Birdwell is retiring. [5]

Republican primary

Declared
  • David Cook, state representative from the 96th district (2021–present) [5]
  • Jon Gimble, McLennan County District Clerk (2015-present)

District 24

Incumbent Republican Pete Flores is running for re-election

Republican primary

Declared

Democratic primary

Declared

District 26

Incumbent Democrat José Menéndez is running for re-election.

District 28

Incumbent Republican Charles Perry is running for re-election.

District 31

Incumbent Republican Kevin Sparks is running for re-election.

Notes

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Texas State Senate elections, 2026". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
    2. ↑ Awtrey, Jeff (June 24, 2025). "Sen. Nichols announces he won't seek reelection; Ashby vying for position". KLTV. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
    3. 1 2 "Texas Tech University System Regents Name Senator Brandon Creighton as Sole Finalist for Chancellor". Texas Tech University System. September 4, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    4. 1 2 Scherer, Jasper (May 15, 2025). "Sen. Mayes Middleton announces bid for Texas attorney general". The Texas Tribune . Retrieved May 30, 2025.
    5. 1 2 3 Serrano, Alejandro (June 30, 2025). "GOP state Sen. Brian Birdwell says he won't seek reelection". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
    6. ↑ Kumar, Atirikta (June 27, 2025). "Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election for open state Senate seat". The Texas Tribune . Retrieved June 27, 2025.
    7. 1 2 Guo, Kayla (November 6, 2025). "Democrats see promise for 2026 in Texas Senate near upset". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
    8. ↑ "Governor Abbott Sets Runoff Election For Texas Senate District 9". gov.texas.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
    9. ↑ Roberts, Kim (August 1, 2025). "Texas Senate District 9 Special Election Candidates Speak on THC, Gambling, Top Priorities". The Texan . Retrieved August 8, 2025.
    10. ↑ Royster, Rachel (July 8, 2025). "North Texas mayor joins race for Fort Worth-area state Senate District 9". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . Retrieved July 8, 2025.
    11. ↑ "GOP Heavyweights Endorse Leigh Wambsganss For Texas Senate". Yahoo News. July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
    12. ↑ Bim, Mara Richards (June 2, 2025). "Leigh Wambsganss and the duplicity of Christian nationalist women". Baptist News Global. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
    13. ↑ "Keller Mayor Armin Mizani pivots from Texas Senate to Texas House District campaign". WFAA News. July 23, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
    14. ↑ "State Rep. Nate Schatzline drops Texas Senate bid, endorses conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss". June 24, 2025.
    15. ↑ "Meet the candidates in the special election for Texas Senate District 9". CBS News. October 26, 2025. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
    16. 1 2 3 4 "Texas Senate District 9 special election pits Republicans against Democrat in Tarrant County". The Texas Tribune . November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    17. ↑ Editorial Board (October 17, 2025). "Star-Telegram endorsement: Tarrant election to fill state Senate seat". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . Retrieved October 19, 2025.
    18. ↑ Editorial Board (October 19, 2025). "We recommend in the race for Texas Senate District 9". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved October 19, 2025.
    19. 1 2 3 "Tarrant voters weigh 2 Republicans, 1 Democrat for Texas Senate election". KERA News. November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    20. ↑ "Texas Democratic Women event featuring Senator Nathan Johnson and Taylor Rehmet". Mobilize.us. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    21. ↑ "Senator Roland Gutierrez endorses Taylor Rehmet for Texas Senate". Lone Star Left. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    22. ↑ "Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club endorsements". Sierra Club. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    23. ↑ "Texas AFL-CIO COPE endorses union member Taylor Rehmet in SD-9 special election". Texas AFL–CIO. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    24. ↑ "Texas AFT COPE endorses Taylor Rehmet in special election for Texas Senate". Texas AFT. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    25. ↑ "IAM Texas State Council endorses state council president for state Senate seat". International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. October 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    26. 1 2 3 4 5 "GOP heavyweights endorse Leigh Wambsganss for Texas Senate". Yahoo News. July 2, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    27. ↑ "Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline backs Republican in Tarrant County special election". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 20, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
    28. 1 2 Serrano, Alejandro (October 16, 2025). "Abbott sets May special election for open Texas Senate seat". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
    29. ↑ Richardson, Michael (May 7, 2025). "Sen. Bryan Hughes to make decision on run for Texas Attorney General after legislative session ends". KLTV. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    30. ↑ "Hall announces re-election bid for State Senator". Wills Point Chronicle. July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    31. ↑ "Eddington For Texas | Texas Senate Candidates". Jason For Texas Sena. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    32. ↑ "Senator Robert Nichols won't seek another term". Palestineherald.com. June 24, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
    33. ↑ TrentAshby.com (June 24, 2025). "Ashby announces candidacy for Texas Senate". The Lufkin Daily News. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
    34. ↑ Reports, From Staff (June 3, 2025). "Rhonda Ward to run for Texas Senate". The Daily Sentinel. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    35. ↑ Item, Special to The (June 10, 2025). "Dr. Charles Schwertner Announces for Re-Election to Texas Senate District 5". Itemonline.com. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
    36. 1 2 Scherer, Jasper (May 8, 2025). "State Rep. Dennis Paul announces bid for Texas Senate with backing from Dan Patrick". The Texas Tribune . Retrieved May 30, 2025.
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