Texas GOP Fights to Hold State House in 2026 Midterms

0:00It's April 21st. Welcome in. This is El Paso News today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Texas Republicans are calling the 2026 midterms a real test for their grip on the state house. They hold the majority right now, but Democrats need just 76 seats to flip control of that 150-seat chamber. Both sides know it's going to be a grind. The Republican State Leader Shift Committee ranks Texas as a top defensive battleground nationwide. Shifting voter trends in places like San Antonio are making things spicy, especially in districts that flipped red back in 2022. GOP folks emit its an uphill fight, but with solid candidates and the right message, they plan to hold the line. Democrats meanwhile are going all in, backing races even in deep red areas to boost turnout down the ballot. Take the 118th district in heavily Hispanic San Antonio, it win Republican in 2022, despite a Democratic Senate win, there by three points last year.

1:03Now it's a rematch between GOP challenger Jorge Borrego and Democrat Christian Caranza, both fired up about their shot. Republicans are pouring cash into early voting and get out the effort, with House Speaker Dustin Burrows committing full resources to competitive spots. Holding that majority and staying unified will be the real scorecard for their strength come November.