Fort Worth voters helped turn Tarrant County solidly blue in the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, a shift that could reshape local and statewide policy priorities. According to the Fort Worth Report, Democrat Gina Hinojosa captured the county’s governor’s race with 375,925 votes (56.85%), while incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott received 41.76% of the vote.
In the U.S. Senate contest, Democrat James Talarico won 390,027 votes (59.1%) in the county, defeating Republican Ken Paxton, who earned 39.29%. The race marked a decisive win for the Democratic ticket in a county that historically leans Republican.
Local historic milestones also emerged. Alisa Simmons became the first Democrat – and the first Black person – to win the county judge seat in four decades, according to the same report.
Fort Worth residents voiced a range of perspectives. Mansfield resident Tionna Days, 32, said, “It’s time for us to see a change,” after casting an all‑Democratic ticket. Days highlighted her Christian faith and concerns about education policy, noting she opposes imposing religious beliefs on students. Fort Worth’s Miroslava Montero, 33, a former teacher, expressed excitement for Talarico, saying he “understands the issues her young family is experiencing.”
Conversely, 72‑year‑old Fort Worth voter Marlene Kyle emphasized her desire to keep the county red, supporting Abbott and Paxton and warning, “If it turns blue, we’re gonna be in trouble.”
Early voting numbers also set new records. The elections office reports about 1.37 million registered voters in Tarrant County, with nearly 572,000 casting early in‑person ballots and more than 22,000 voting by mail. Those figures surpass the 2022 early‑voting totals of roughly 389,000 in‑person and 23,000 mail votes.
Fox 4 provided a broader view of the statewide contests, listing key races on the sample ballot for North Texas voters. The outlet noted that the U.S. Senate race pits Ken Paxton (R) against James Talarico (D), while the governor’s race features incumbent Greg Abbott (R) against state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D). Additional statewide contests include Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) versus Vikki Goodwin (D), and Attorney General races between Mayes Middleton (R) and Nathan Johnson (D). This context helps Fort Worth voters understand how local outcomes fit into the larger Texas political picture.
What’s next? County officials will continue to certify the unofficial results over the coming days, and the newly elected officials will assume office in January 2027. Fort Worth residents can expect the Democratic victories to influence policy discussions on education, healthcare, and border security at both the county and state levels, while Republican leaders will work to retain influence in the Texas Legislature.
Sources: fortworthreport.org, fox4news.com
