2026 Election: Other top Texas races

Welcome back to election night here on Fox 7. The top of the Texas ticket is filled with competitive statewide races, including one that some Republicans have stated they will vote for the Democrat. But we'll start with the number two in charge, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, seeking reelection against Austin Democrat Vicki Goodwin. Patrick trailing in that race at 42%, Goodwin 56%, and we've got 54% of those votes counted so far. Now, of course, Dan Patrick's been there a long time. Same as that reaction to the second in charge. Strong, strong control, iron control of the Senate. Nothing gets through without his blessings. And now he may not be the person giving the blessings. I think what we're looking here at here right now is not just a Texas... Swing. We're seeing reports nationwide that this surge is going nationwide. I just saw a report that Darlene Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister, apparently has lost South Carolina. That Senate race, that is a huge moment. We were talking earlier in regards to a Harris County treasurer incumbent charged with multiple DUIs winning in Harris County despite That criminal record of drunk driving. So what's going on? I think a lot of people aren't quite sure what's going on or even the Democrats didn't anticipate. This big of a wave that we're witnessing that may just, you know, not just sweep through Texas, but throughout the country. Nationwide. Yeah, Ken Paxton's run for U.S. Senate is opening up the seat for Texas Attorney General. As you can see there, Mays Middleton trailing at 42 percent, Nathan Johnson 57 percent, and we've got 53 percent of those votes counted. So we talked about this during the primary. I even called him MAGA Maze, I couldn't say anything else. We haven't seen that kind of ad play here. No, it was clear that I think that he was concerned about what was happening in the switch. He started downplaying the MAGA in his campaign literature that he used. Everyone got the mail out, MAGA Maze, Middleton. And then after the primary went almost radio silent. And he was financing a lot of his campaign and ads through his own personal wealth. At what point did he probably say, all right, I need to pull back and see where everything else is heading, and by just throwing good money to bad. And Nathan Johnson, as we mentioned earlier, didn't have a lot of money to begin with, didn't get a lot of funding from the Texas Dems, but seems to be among those. Down Ballot that's riding this big wave. Yeah, as you mentioned early on, because of the Abbott situation, that clearly seems to be following Down Ballot at this moment. Now, we typically don't talk this much about a railroad commissioner's race, but Beau French, of course, stirred up controversy in the Republican Party after the UT football team's big win over number one Ohio State. This was back in September. His social media post centered around the race of fans in the UT student section, celebrating that win. Now Karl Rove, Former advisor to President George W. Bush even said he was voting for the Democrat because the GOP stables need a cleaning. Commissioner Jim Wright lost in the GOP primary to French to replace him, and of course, French right now trailing. These margins, Rudy, similar, similar. Yeah, big margins, and almost to the point where you have to wonder where can they make up that kind of gap if they're relying on the rural Texas vote. Is there enough to counteract what's happened in the metro areas, which has been just huge? It's huge. Listen, this is not that surprising. President Trump didn't even endorse Beau French. Do you think that social media post was- I think that it put more light on Beau French than what he wanted to, because Beau has always been a lightning rod for controversy when he was up involved with the party up in Tarrant County in the Metroplex. So it's not surprising that he would throw verbal hand grenades out there. He was constantly doing that, but that last one was just way, way too much. Yeah, regrettable.