Key facts
- Talarico's win was the first Democratic statewide victory in Texas since 1994, according to the Associated Press.
- Democrats needed four Senate flips without losses to take the majority; Texas was the third.
- Paxton was backed by Trump and Elon Musk in the Senate race.
- Democrats also picked up Senate seats in North Carolina and South Carolina on November 3, 2026.
Democrat James Talarico won the Texas US Senate race, defeating Republican Ken Paxton, the Associated Press projected at 11:03 p.m. on November 3, 2026. It was the first time Democrats won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, according to the AP.
The Texas result was the third of four seats Democrats need to flip, without losing any they are defending, to gain a Senate majority. Paxton was handpicked by President Donald Trump and backed by Elon Musk.
Earlier in the evening, Democrat Roy Cooper won North Carolina's open Senate seat, defeating Trump-backed Republican Michael Whatley, the AP projected at 8:23 p.m. The seat opened after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis decided not to seek reelection. Pediatrician Annie Andrews unseated Republican Darline Graham in South Carolina, giving Democrats a second pickup. Graham was appointed to the seat after her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, died in July.
Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won reelection, defeating Republican Mike Collins, the AP called at 7:55 p.m. Ossoff was the only Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state Trump won in 2024. In Virginia, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner won a fourth term, the AP called as polls closed, defeating Republican Bert Mizusawa.
Control of the Senate would give Democrats oversight powers including the ability to subpoena testimony and conduct impeachment trials. Voting continued in the 2026 midterms, with control of both chambers in the balance.