Texas Congressional Races Heat Up for 2026 Midterms
With the 2026 midterm elections still over a year away, Texas political landscape is already showing signs of significant activity as candidates position themselves for congressional races. While most official candidate announcements are still forthcoming, several key developments are shaping what promises to be a competitive election cycle.
New Congressional Map Creates Opportunities
The most significant development affecting Texas congressional races came in late August 2025, when Governor Greg Abbott signed new congressional voting maps into law. The redistricting effort, which passed the Texas State Senate with an 18-8 vote, is designed to help Republicans gain additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections. The new map affects the territories of several Democratic representatives, including Marc Veasey, Vicente Gonzalez, Lloyd Doggett, Julie Johnson, and Al Green.
Key Race to Watch: Texas 21st District
One of the most notable early developments is Congressman Chip Roy‘s decision to retire from his Texas 21st District seat to run for Texas Attorney General.
This creates an open seat that will likely attract multiple candidates from both parties, making it one of the most watched races in the state.
Senate Race Drawing Congressional Interest
While not a House race, the 2026 U.S. Senate contest is already affecting congressional dynamics. Former Congressman Colin Allred launched his campaign in July 2025 to challenge incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. Allred, who lost to Senator Ted Cruz by 8.5 points in 2024, is positioning himself as the first major Democratic candidate for Cornyn’s seat. Other potential Democratic candidates mentioned include former El Paso Congressman Beto O’Rourke and current San Antonio Representative Joaquin Castro, though neither has officially announced.
A Texas Southern University poll released in August showed Paxton holding a 5-point lead over Cornyn among likely primary voters, down from 9-points in the same poll released in May. Meanwhile, an Emerson College poll also released last month showed Cornyn leading Paxton by 1 point.
Senator John Cornyn‘s campaign launched “kenstoppers.com”, a website and hotline for Texans to anonymously report suspicious activity by his primary opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, elevating political trolling to a new level.
Timeline and Process
For prospective congressional candidates, key dates are approaching quickly. The candidate filing deadline is December 8, 2025, with primaries scheduled for March 3, 2026, and potential runoffs on May 26, 2026. The general election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside other federal, state, and local contests.
Texas will elect representatives to all 38 of its congressional districts, making it one of the largest congressional delegations in the country. The state’s electoral significance continues to grow, and both parties are expected to invest heavily in competitive races.
What’s Next for Texas Voters
As the filing deadline approaches in December, Texas voters can expect to see a flurry of candidate announcements across multiple districts. The new congressional map, combined with the midterm election dynamics during President Trump’s second term, could create opportunities for both parties to flip seats.
Democrats are hoping to harness potential backlash against the Trump administration, while Republicans aim to capitalize on the newly drawn district boundaries to strengthen their congressional majority.
With Texas’s growing population and evolving political landscape, the 2026 midterms will serve as an important test of the state’s political trajectory.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted to dissolve existing faculty senates at its institutions to comply with Texas Senate Bill 37. This law requires boards to either re-establish faculty senates with specific changes or allow them to be abolished. The UT System opted for the latter, authorizing system presidents to create new, temporary advisory groups.
The UT System’s Board of Regents decided to abolish the councils — including UT Austin’s body — five days before the semester began. (Austin-American Statesman)
#ATXLogogate
On Monday, the University of Texas Police Department confirmed a 34-year-old man was found dead on the UT Austin campus Friday, according to a statement from UTPD. There appeared to be no threat to the public, nor was it considered suspicious.
UTPD said Monday that man was not affiliated with the university. (KXAN-TV)
Concerns over safety at Edward Rendon Senior Park brought neighbors and police together Monday night in East Austin.
“I grew up in East Austin and over the years I’ve seen more people have been shot, have been hurt, it’s always on Sundays.” — East Austin resident
Between March and August, Austin police responded to nearly 160 calls for service on Sundays, including 34 for reckless driving and four for shots fired. (CBS Austin)
A truck carrying dirt overturned on the southbound State Highway 45 service road in Pflugerville Monday morning, spilling its load across the roadway and causing traffic delays. (CBS Austin)
A British tech company called Wise that specializes in money transfer services announced it’s tripling the size of its office space in Austin. It’s growing from 30,000 to 90,000 square feet in its office space in The Domain.
Travis County is asking for public input on upcoming road improvements. The county is hosting four virtual open houses to give residents an opportunity to weigh in on projects along Rowe Lane, Howard Lane, Blake Manor Road, and Cameron Road.
These upgrades are part of a $233 million bond that was approved in 2023. The virtual open houses are available through September 23 and include details on the planned improvements and instructions on how to submit your comments. (Austin American-Statesman)
After Austin City Council approved some short-term rental regulation changes earlier this year, the city is bringing additional changes forward for a vote Thursday.
Office vacancies metrowide are elevated, but the trend is particularly notable in East Austin. Brokers say a number of factors are likely responsible. (Austin Business Journal)
WEATHER
MONDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Let’s see what’s shaking in Texas…from Earthquake Track.
FEMA is expected to close one of its Kerr County disaster recovery centers this week.
Families of Camp Mystic flooding victims are pushing for the “Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act” to strengthen youth camp safety standards in Texas, including mandatory emergency warning systems and evacuation route displays.
From February through May, ICE issued more than 10,655 detainees to Texas jails. That’s up from about 8,216 during the same period last year. (KVUE-TV)
A legal showdown over abortion care is coming to a head as Texas cracks down on out-of-state providers who have mailed abortion pills to Texans.
Did a UT Austin student accidentally reveal themselves as the winner of one half of the $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot?
“Rumors have been swirling that the customer, who snagged the ticket to a new lifestyle just an hour away from the Alamo City, is none other than a University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) student. An Instagram post from the official affiliate of media company Barstool Sports voiced the claim in on Sunday, September 8, and included a screenshot of an iPhone with five of the winning figures on display.”
The Texas Lottery has not said which city the citizen who won the ticket is from. (My San Antonio)
Two Dallas police officers have turned themselves in to authorities on separate charges, leading to their placement on administrative leave. (My Texas Daily)
Here’s how school choice will work in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott will soon issue an executive order to regulate THC and set a minimum age of 21 to purchase those products in Texas, according to three people who spoke with the governor’s office. (Texas Tribune)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
“Texas Flagships Behaving Badly”
UT Researchers Worked With Chinese Military-Linked Academics…
Federal Investigation of Texas A&M Threatened Over LGBTQ Indoctrination…
Texas GOP Sets Non-Binding Ballot Questions for 2026 Primary…
Whitesboro Again Aims for Huge Property Tax Increase…
A Texas deputy was left dangling from an overpass after a semi-truck slammed into a patrol unit. Bystanders rushed in to help before rescuers arrived.
Just one week after Texas ended paper tags, police departments are tracking down drivers who didn’t get the message. As of September 1, the last of the state’s temporary paper tags expired, meaning any person seen driving a vehicle with a paper tag can now trigger a traffic stop. (NBC DFW)
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed that a black bear had been seen in Cherokee, Anderson, Panola and Rusk counties in August. The department is cautioning all Texans in bear country to take steps to avoid human-bear interactions. (Texas Public Radio)
SPORTS
MLB: The Texas Rangers are making a push down the stretch.
Michael Helman drove in all the Texas runs with a grand slam and a double, lefty Jacob Latz pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and the playoff-chasing Rangers beat the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 on Monday night.
The Rangers (75-70) moved within 3 1/2 games of idle Houston, the closest they have been to the AL West lead since also trailing by 3 1/2 on May 30.
Texas, with 17 games remaining, won two of three against the Astros over the weekend. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
WILD CARD RACE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that QB Arch Manning is fine and suffered no injury in Saturday’s win over San Jose State.
Texas Longhorns Football Talk | LIVE | 9/9/25
Today we’re going hang gliding in the Hill Country.
