State of Texas: Republican election gains boost governor’s ‘school choice’ plan
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Republicans expanded their dominance of Texas politics on election night. In addition to solid wins at the top of the ticket, Republicans also flipped seats held by Democrats, adding to the GOP majority in the Texas legislature.
Those results had Gov. Greg Abbott taking a victory lap of sorts. His push for legislation to allow public funding for private schools appears poised for success.
"Counting what I call only true hardcore school choice proponents, there are 79 votes in favor in the Texas House. It takes 76 votes to get it passed," Abbott said one day after the election at an event at a Christian private school in Tyler.
Abbott attempted to push his plan for education savings accounts, which he calls school choice legislation, in the last legislative session and through a series of special sessions. Opposition from House Democrats joined by 21 Republicans from rural districts kept the legislation from moving forward. That led the Governor to campaign against members of his own party in the elections, working and spending millions to support candidates who would support his plan.
On Wednesday, Abbott said those efforts appear to have paid off.
"I made sure that we would elect Republicans to the Texas House of Representatives in sufficient number to be able to pass a school choice plan, just like the Texas Senate has passed many times," he said at a news conference.
The governor said the ESA plan would not take funding from public schools.
"We will have separate pots of money, one for public schools, which we will fully fund, teacher pay raises, which we will fully fund, and then a separate pot for school choice," Abbott told reporters in Tyler.
While the governor is confident about the chances for his ESA plan, the narrow margin of support could leave options for opponents.
"There's going to be a lot of jockeying around who wins the speakership of the House and I think that could potentially move around some votes depending on where the speaker comes down on this and what alliances are made," said Lauren McGaughy, editor for NPR's The Texas Newsroom.
"That can always change, even right up to the day where voting on legislation," she added.
But with the election gains by likely supporters of Abbott's ESA plan, the focus may be less on if it will pass, but on what the plan that passes will contain.
"There are a lot of variables at play... but at the end of the day, the votes are there," former State Rep. Larry Gonzales said. Gonzales, a Republican who represented a district in Williamson County said the question now is what the bill includes.
Last session, the ESA bill included funding for pay raises for public school teachers and school safety, among other items.
"So the last bill had a lot of things in it. What will this one have? I'm not sure, but at the end of the day, I think the votes are there to move ESAs," Gonzales said.
Cruz wins, Cornyn eyes new position of power
Ted Cruz declared a resounding victory on election night, winning his third term in the U.S. Senate.
Even though he was outspent by challenger Colin Allred, Cruz expected to win. But the margin was a surprise. Cruz received nearly a million more votes than Allred.
"The results tonight, this decisive victory, should shake the Democrat establishment to its core," Cruz told his supporters at his Tuesday night victory party.
He declared the election a mandate, but he also extended a bit of an olive branch to Democrats who did not support him.
"You have my word that we will fight for you, for your jobs, for your safety, and for your constitutional rights," Cruz told the crowd.
"But tonight, the people of Texas have spoken, and their message rings clear as a bell across our great state. Texas will remain Texas!" Cruz said as the crowd cheered.
The Cruz victory helped Republicans win majority control of the U.S. Senate starting in January. That transfer of power could see the state's other senator win a new position of power. Sen. John Cornyn is one of three candidates hoping to succeed Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
The position of Senate Majority Leader is one of the most powerful positions on Capitol Hill. Republicans are set to meet next week to vote for their nominee for leader. Cornyn is hopeful he'll get the chance to lead.
"I feel like I'm ready to assume those responsibilities," Cornyn told reporters in Austin after voting early last month.
"But in the end, it's not about me and it's not about the other candidate. It's about what our country needs. Our country needs to make some tough choices, and we are the ones that make those on behalf of our constituents," Cornyn added. "So I'm looking forward to it, but I understand the responsibility."
Republican Party flips counties, makes major gains in South Texas
With Republicans aiming to flip congressional seats in South Texas, there were some close races Tuesday night. Counties that voted for President Joe Biden in 2024, and some that have been reliably blue for a generation, flipped red.
"We are seeing tonight generational change in South Texas," Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Tuesday at his watch party.
Starr County, a border county in South Texas, flipped red this year for the first time since 1896. Fourteen of the 18 border counties voted for former President Donald Trump this year.
"The Republicans seem to be gaining speed," said Sandra Sanchez, South Texas correspondent for Border Report. "The Democrats seem to be licking their wounds."
This shift shouldn't be surprising, said James Henson, executive director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.
"Republicans have been telling us that they are trying to do this and have been making demonstrable efforts," he said.
Henson said that Democrats in particular have underestimated Republican's ability to succeed.
District 15 Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz faced a repeat challenge from Michelle Vallejo and won reelection by bigger margins than she did last time. In 2022, the district flipped red for the first time in history.
"I was at her watch party," Sanchez said, referencing De La Cruz's election night event. "No one was concerned that she wasn't going to win another term, her second term. They weren't even paying attention to the boards. They weren't paying attention to the television screens. It was one big, giant party, and everyone there just knew she was going to win."
Democrat Vicente Gonzalez faced challenger Republican Mayra Flores in a rematch of the 2022 District 34 race. While he won reelection, the margins this year were closer than in the 2022 race.
"What's really interesting is the number of voters," Sanchez said. "Almost twice as many voters came out for Mayra this time."
Sanchez said the resignation of Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa signals that there are changes coming.
Eight of the South Texas counties voted for former President Donald Trump this year, compared to only one, Zapata County, in the last election, Sanchez said. In Cameron County, normally a Democratic stronghold, the Republican party was able to make gains.
"It's just in the last couple of years they're coming out, so to speak," Sanchez said. "They're not afraid to say 'We are Republican.'"
Jennifer Thatcher, Zapata County Republican Party chair, said border security was a major issue for her community.
"It was something that was overlooked," Thatcher said. "The borders were literally open, whether they want to admit it or not."
Eagle Pass Democrat Eddie Morales, who survived a well-funded challenger in Robert Garza to return to the Texas House by 3.4 points, acknowledged in a post-election statement that Democrats have work to do on the border.
"There is no question as to the new political landscape we now find ourselves in. We cannot hide from it nor ignore it. Elections tell stories and unveils the true viewpoint of constituents and their needs," Morales said. "President-Elect Donald Trump won House District 74 with nearly 60% of the vote. The truth is, I understand why. Talking to voters, they had deep concerns over the border and inflation – they wanted a change."
Voters in a conservative Texas city shot down a local anti-abortion proposal
Voters in Amarillo, located in the state's conservative Panhandle region, rejected an anti-abortion proposal that would have essentially banned travel for those seeking abortions out of state by allowing civil lawsuits against anyone who helps a local resident obtain an abortion.
The "Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn" ordinance was rejected by nearly 60% of voters.
"We hope to set the tone for not only the state, but the nation, that we will not penalize anyone for seeking health care when they're facing an extreme travel ban in their own state," said Lindsay London, a nurse who helped found a group to oppose the effort.
Supporters of the restrictions originally tried to get the Amarillo City Council to adopt the ordinance. When that failed, a petition put the proposition on the ballot for voters to decide.
After voters rejected the measure, supporters vowed to work to elect new council members who would support future efforts to pass the ordinance.
"We're going to fight for unborn children, but we're also going to fight for women who are the victims of abortion abuse," said Mark Lee Dickson, founder of the Sanctuary City for the Unborn Initiative.