In the 2026 midterm elections, Texas voters chose Democratic candidates for every statewide office, ending decades of Republican control in several key agencies. The new officials will assume their duties in January and have already outlined policy goals that emphasize public‑school funding, consumer protection, and responsible land and agricultural management.
Lieutenant governor
Vikki Goodwin, who unseated longtime Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will serve as Texas’ next lieutenant governor. Goodwin first won a seat in the Texas House in 2018 by defeating four‑term Republican Rep. Paul Workman. Known for her work with the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus, she supports increased public‑school funding, higher teacher pay, Medicaid expansion, and a statewide health program. Goodwin also backs regulating THC with age limits, testing and labeling, investing in water infrastructure, and passing the Fair Rent Incentive Act to lower housing costs. She has called for repealing the state’s abortion ban and for limits on ICE agents after a recent shooting in Houston.
Attorney general
Dallas state senator Nathan Johnson will succeed Ken Paxton as attorney general. Johnson, a corporate litigator and mediator, pledged to shift the office’s focus from culture‑war lawsuits to state‑level issues. He announced plans to sue the federal government over border policies he says violate the Constitution, to strengthen consumer‑protection laws, and to investigate elected officials of any party for corruption. Johnson also intends to invest in the office’s core functions, such as child‑support collection and legal opinions, and has offered a clean‑slate hiring process for the agency’s 4,000 employees.
Comptroller
State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, a former Travis County prosecutor and judge, defeated Gov. Greg Abbott’s appointee Don Huffines to become Texas comptroller. Eckhardt, the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Bob Eckhardt, emphasizes keeping the office focused on safety rather than polarizing social issues. She vows to root out corruption, end no‑bid contracts that favor wealthy donors, and audit the new $1 billion school‑voucher program before any expansion. Eckhardt also supports a moratorium on data‑center development and opposes requiring proof of legal immigration status for professional licenses.
Land commissioner
Benjamin Flores, a Bay City heritage‑breed pig farmer and cybersecurity expert, won the land‑commissioner race over incumbent Dawn Buckingham. Flores, who immigrated from Mexico in 1996, plans to encourage data‑center development on leased state land while protecting rural residents, propose land swaps for affordable housing, and safeguard revenue from the Permanent School Fund for public schools. He also seeks faster disaster‑response contracts and has criticized the former commissioner for using agency resources to support border‑enforcement projects.
Agriculture commissioner
Clayton Tucker, a Lampasas rancher and secretary of the Texas Farmers Union, became the first Democratic agriculture commissioner since 1986. Tucker, a former National Science Foundation researcher, promises to protect family farms, lower food costs, eliminate harmful chemicals such as PFAS, and allow hemp production. He also wants to curb the spread of microplastics, increase transparency on data‑center resource use, and rebuild agricultural co‑ops to make farming more affordable.
Railroad commissioner
Jon Rosenthal, a former four‑term Texas House member from north‑central Houston and career oil‑field mechanical engineer, will join the Railroad Commission after defeating Republican Bo French. Rosenthal has pledged stricter enforcement of industry regulations and criticized both the commission and the Trump administration for appearing to favor oil‑and‑gas executives. He supports repurposing depleted wells for new industries and improving environmental oversight.
All six new officials have highlighted a commitment to transparency, consumer protection, and policies that they argue will benefit Texas families and businesses. Their upcoming terms will test how these priorities translate into action within the state’s traditionally Republican‑led government.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
