It’s official. Texas has turned blue.
Historic Democratic victories and record midterm turnout have ushered in new political possibilities for Black Houstonians, but voters say elected officials must deliver on their campaign promises when they take office.
Nearly 1.4 million voters turned up to cast their ballots in Harris County, the county clerk’s office reported, breaking the county’s midterm record set in 2018 by two million votes. Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term incumbent Republican opponent Greg Abbott, while James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate. Democrats also captured the lieutenant governor’s and attorney general’s offices, marking a major political shift in a state long considered a Republican stronghold.
The statewide upsets shifted Texas blue, much to the surprise of both Democrat and Republican Texans. Meanwhile, Black voters showed up in large numbers and played a significant role in bringing in the ‘blue wave.’ Nine out of 10 Black men and women voted for Hinojosa for Governor, per NBC data.
“Once again, Black voters have proven that we are not bystanders in this country; we are its builders,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). “The Trump Administration tried every trick in the book to block voters from the polls, but we showed up and showed out, and we voted. This election’s outcomes are not the finish line. They’re a reminder that we the people have the power. And keeping that power requires us to vote, hold elected officials accountable, and fight for our freedom.”
At election night parties across Houston, voters and elected officials told the Defender that the night was for celebrations, but the work starts immediately after.
What do the numbers say?
Harris County’s early voting numbers also broke records, with 1.08 million ballots cast, including more than 1 million in person and nearly 45,000 by mail. On Election Day, more than 236,000 people had voted in person.
With 2.7 million registered voters in the county, nearly 51% had voted by the evening of Nov. 3.
County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth described early participation as “almost close to a presidential year type of turnout.”
With more than 900,000 Black residents in the county, early turnout data suggest that Black voters in Acres Homes, Sunnyside, and the Third Ward area turned out in large numbers, with some areas roughly doubling their 2022 turnout.
“I know that we’ve had a huge effort to make sure we’re reaching out to 150,000 Black voters,” said Shamier Bouie, chair of Houston Black American Democrats. “I’m excited about seeing the actual turnout in the Black community.”
Texas turns blue
Democrat James Talarico won the U.S. Senate race over Republican opponent and current Attorney General Ken Paxton, and incumbent Abbott conceded to Hinojosa.
Talarico is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas since 1988.
Democrats also won other major statewide races. In Houston’s 18th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee was the winner with roughly 65 percentage points more than his opponent.
Owing to a major upset across the country, Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress.
What newly elected officials said
Menefee said the results mean “that we’re finally going to have a state and state leadership that is responsive to our needs, that is investing in our public education system and not stripping resources out of it.”
Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Menefee will start his full term as Congressman of the Black Democratic stronghold.
Among his first priorities, he wants to focus on “passing transformational legislation,” which includes raising the minimum wage and expanding health care access, he told the Defender.
Newly re-elected State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, who represents Houston’s House District 146, fought back tears.
“Politics is personal,” Simmons said. “It’s not just winning for the sake of winning. It’s about winning because our communities deserve it.”
A Democratic win for Simmons means for Black Houstonians “a seat of protection.”
“We contribute to society,” she added. “We’re taxpayers. And for years, for decades, we have not been getting a return on our investment. This means our voices matter. Our votes matter. And I can’t wait to walk into the Capitol that second Tuesday in January with a Democratic majority ready to deliver for what our people have been demanding and asking for for far too long.”
State Rep.-elect Odus Evbagharu of House District 135 said a blue Texas means more funding for public schools, which, in turn, helps Black Houstonians.
“We need our Black boys in the third grade reading at a third-grade reading level,” Evbagharu said. “It means that we can expand Medicaid and protect our Black mothers who are giving birth and dying at an exponential rate here in Harris County. It means that we can increase wages because you all know when we work hard, we should be able to afford the life we want to live. It means that we don’t get to redistrict seats in the middle of the decade and disenfranchise Black voters and keep our districts together.”
But that’s not all. Alongside the expectations, Black voters expect elected officials to “stay true to their promises, and deliver on those promises,” opined Sasha Legette, founder of the Black Girl Caucus.
“I think this upcoming election, you’ve heard a lot of voter apathy and a lot of folks in the Black community who are just tired of what they consider lip service or business as usual,” Legette said. “So, even though they turned out because elections are very important to us, I would say in this upcoming cycle that we’re going to start to see people be held accountable.”
What voters said
Several voters named prices as the first issue they would like addressed.
Regina Brown, an elementary school teacher, listed “gas prices up, utilities up, groceries up, rent is up.” She remains hopeful that a ‘blue wave’ will make a difference.
A retired City of Houston employee, Karen Franklin, wants the government to be a better partner.
“The infrastructure of government has almost been dismantled,” she said. “Government is a partner. Government is not an enemy.”
Alongside gas prices, she would like more government assistance for families in need, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and health care benefits.
Elected officials also need to “continue to show up, be present” and to “immerse” themselves in the communities they want votes from, said Brittany Short, a Harris County employee.
“Once again, Black voters have proven that we are not bystanders in this country; we are its builders.”
Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP
At this point, it is no longer about party loyalty, but a push for more resources in Black communities.
“This is the first time we’re able to hold people accountable,” said Peniel Otto, an influencer. “For me, it means accountability for every party. I don’t care if you’re Democrat or Republican, whoever wins this election is going to be held accountable.”
Black Texans like Pure Justice’s Operations Director, RoShawn Evans, also described the election results in terms such as “a partial liberation,” while Lauren Henry, an educator, framed it in terms of self-reliance.
“None of us are free until all of us are free,” Henry said. “At the end of the day, this is an ode to community self-determination…not just waiting for the government to save us, but us saving ourselves.”
For Rev. Reginald Lillie, the night was about “restoration of principles and values.” Evelyn Ogletree, standing beside him, echoed, “No more lies, no more kings.”
What the blue wave could mean for Black Houstonians
Democrats now hold the governor’s office and a U.S. Senate seat, and are positioned to wield their influence in Austin.
Democrats have flipped at least 18 state House seats held by Republicans, controlling the chamber for the first time in over 20 years. In 13 of those races, the Republican candidate was the incumbent.
While record turnout across Harris County proved the undeniable impact of Black voters, the path forward relies heavily on the next steps elected representatives will take.
