The key facts

  • James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa are the first Democrats to win Texas statewide elections since 1994
  • Talarico defeated Ken Paxton, and Hinojosa unseated Governor Greg Abbott
  • According to AFP, Elon Musk spent more than $200 million supporting Talarico's rival

Democrats' double victory in Texas

Democrat James Talarico, a former schoolteacher and Presbyterian seminary student, won the U.S. Senate race in Texas, defeating state Attorney General Ken Paxton — a close ally of Donald Trump who survived impeachment and years of scandals. According to AFP, this was a serious blow to Trump, who backed Paxton and made Texas a campaign priority, visiting the state four times in the final month before the election.

A change of governor

The second sensation: Democrat Gina Hinojosa, a 52-year-old lawyer and member of the state legislature, unseated incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Talarico and Hinojosa are the first Democrats to win statewide elections in Texas since 1994. Texas is the country's second most populous state with 40 electoral votes, and its competitiveness in national elections could reshape the electoral map of future campaigns.

Musk's money and the AI data center issue

According to AFP, citing federal reports, Elon Musk spent more than $200 million supporting Talarico's rival; the world's richest man has moved the headquarters of Tesla, SpaceX and X to Texas and is expanding his business there. The spread of AI data centers across Texas became a key theme of both campaigns: residents worry about rising electricity bills, water consumption and strain on the power grid. Both winning Democrats called for stricter regulation, while Abbott, a longtime supporter of the industry, responded with rules of his own.

Talarico's campaign

Talarico, elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018, built his campaign on a combination of Christian faith and economic populism, framing the fight as a David-versus-Goliath struggle and inviting disgruntled Republicans to join him. He defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary and criticized certain aspects of Joe Biden's immigration policy, broadening his audience. He was backed by voters who had left the Republican Party and by young people. In 2023, Paxton survived impeachment in the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives on charges of corruption and abuse of power, but was acquitted by the state Senate; he denies any wrongdoing.