The Texas political landscape is shifting once again, and the 2026 midterm elections are shaping up to be a pivotal moment for both major parties. In a bold move this September, the Texas Democratic Party voted to expand its presence beyond Austin, opening new offices in Amarillo, Eagle Pass, Dallas, and Houston, while retaining its headquarters in the state capital. The party’s newly elected chair, Kendall Scudder, who took office in April 2025, is seeking to rally Democrats across all 254 counties in Texas, aiming to build what he calls a "working class army."
"We need to build a working class army in 254 counties all across this state," Scudder said, according to Nexstar. "We don’t win elections by locking ourselves into rooms in Austin." Scudder’s strategy involves distributing administrative duties between Dallas, Houston, and Austin, a move he hopes will energize the party and help it connect with voters in traditionally Republican strongholds.
But this shakeup hasn’t come without controversy. Some staffers have reportedly left their roles due to pressure to relocate, as highlighted in a Texas Tribune article. Scudder, however, dismissed the report as "misleading," emphasizing that the new structure is about sharing responsibilities, not centralizing them in one city. "Change is hard, but I would hope that if you’re a Democratic activist around this state, you would find the consistent decades of loss a little bit harder to swallow," Scudder said. "In order to win Texas, Democrats have to start doing things differently."
Scudder’s vision harks back to the 2018 midterm season, when Democratic Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke came close to unseating Republican Senator Ted Cruz. "Showing up in every corner of this state and talking to people and shaking their hands and standing for something, actually moved the needle in a big way," Scudder reflected, pointing to O’Rourke’s campaign as a model for future success. "If we do that cycle over cycle, that’s how you start to move the state permanently."
Republicans, however, remain confident. James Dickey, who led the Texas GOP in 2018, told Nexstar, "The policies of the parties either do or do not reflect every day Texans. Republicans are absolutely standing up for every day Texans, and it’s going to be reflected in the election results next year." Dickey stressed the importance of party organizations in recruiting and training candidates, fundraising, and running local elections. "The most important thing has always been that the party does what only the party can do," he said. "And to do that, of course, you have to build trust, and you have to raise funds, and you have to build willingness and interest among the populace, the voters."
Looking ahead to 2026, Scudder’s team has set ambitious goals: winning the U.S. Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and picking up seats in the Texas State House of Representatives. Political analysts are skeptical but see the necessity in aiming high. Brian Smith, a political science professor at St. Edward’s University, told Nexstar, "You’re going to set your sights high, because if you don’t, that’s how you’re guaranteed to fail." Smith acknowledged the Democrats’ "natural disadvantage"—particularly a fundraising gap—but noted that midterms often prove challenging for the party in control. With President Donald Trump’s approval rating slipping, even in Texas, Democrats may have a shot at appealing to independent voters. "The Democrats will be able to maybe pick up some of those statewide races if they have the right people running for the races," Smith added.
Yet, the question of who those "right people" are remains open. Jim Henson, a University of Texas at Austin politics professor and director of the Texas Politics Project, highlighted the Democrats’ struggle to find a widely liked, experienced, and well-known candidate. The two highest-profile Democrats to announce statewide runs—former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and State Rep. James Talarico—are both vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by John Cornyn. Allred, who lost to Cruz in 2024, is well-known among Democrats, while Talarico is less familiar to the broader electorate. Henson remarked, "Colin Allred’s numbers amongst Democrats are still pretty high. James Talarico, right now, his favorability rating… among Democrats is not too far from where Colin Allred was at this stage of the 2024 Senate election that he lost." Henson also noted that the competitive Democratic primary could boost interest in the race.
The Republican primary for Senate is no less dramatic, featuring a contest between incumbent John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Henson observed, "Cornyn is not particularly popular among his base," but Paxton is "generally thought to be not as good a general election candidate as Cornyn would be in terms of facing a Democratic candidate."
Meanwhile, Colin Allred is working to distinguish himself with substantive policy proposals. On September 25, 2025, he unveiled his "A More Affordable Texas" plan, aiming to tackle the rising cost of living for Texas families. According to the El Paso Times, Allred’s plan includes repealing tariffs imposed during the Trump administration—tariffs he claims cost Texas families about $2,300 a year—banning price gouging on groceries and consumer goods, and reducing prescription drug costs by expanding Medicaid and Medicare’s negotiation powers. The plan also calls for restoring investments in Texas renewables to lower utility bills, providing tax credits for first-time homebuyers, expanding affordable housing, strengthening Social Security, expanding paid family and medical leave, restoring a fully refundable Child Tax Credit, and providing two years of free community college along with increased Pell grants.
"Every extra dollar on a grocery bill, rent check, or pharmacy receipt isn’t just inflation — it’s the result of bad policies and corporate greed," Allred said in a news release. "I grew up with a single mom who stretched every dollar at the grocery store, and I know what it means when costs rise and paychecks don’t keep up. My 'A More Affordable Texas' agenda takes on the cost crisis directly so families don’t have to make impossible choices and can finally get some relief." He added, "Texans are being crushed by higher costs while Washington politicians protect billionaires and special interests. This plan, alongside my anti-corruption agenda, is about fixing what’s broken and putting Texans first."
While Democrats focus on expanding their reach and crafting policy solutions, Texas voters are grappling with broader questions about political identity and participation. Letters published in the Dallas News on September 28, 2025, reflect ongoing debates about party registration and the tradition of open primaries in Texas. "Texans don’t register with political parties. We never have," wrote one Dallas resident, voicing opposition to proposals for closed primaries that would require voters to declare party allegiance before participating. The letter argued, "Closed primaries would fence Texans in. Open primaries have kept our politics freer and our politicians more accountable."
Other letters published in the Dallas News highlighted the deepening divisions in American politics, referencing high-profile incidents and the rhetoric of political leaders. Senator Ted Cruz, for example, condemned politically motivated violence and called for less divisive rhetoric, though some correspondents argued that true unity would require leaders to confront divisiveness within their own ranks. Still others lamented the state of national discourse, expressing concern that the country is "in danger of collapse in the hands of a misguided president and those who bend to his dangerous path."
As the 2026 midterms approach, Texans face a crossroads. The Democratic Party is betting on a more expansive, grassroots approach to reach voters across the state, while Republicans are confident that their policies still resonate with everyday Texans. With new candidates, bold policy proposals, and a renewed focus on engaging communities, the next year promises to be one of the most consequential in recent Texas political history.
For voters and activists alike, the choices made in the coming months will help determine not only the outcome of the 2026 elections, but the direction of Texas politics for years to come.
