Why did Texas turn blue? Democrats send shockwave in GOP stronghold Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY Nov 4, 2026 Nov 4, 2026 Updated 2 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Everything's bigger in Texas, even the blue wave.kAmp7E6C >@C6 E92? E9C66 564256D @7 s6>@4C2E:4 7FE:=:EJ[ E96 {@?6 $E2C $E2E6 H:== 92G6 2 s6>@4C2E:4 8@G6C?@C 2?5 2 s6>@4C2E:4 D6?2E@C]k^AmkAmpE E96 DE2CE @7 E9:D 42>A2:8?[ s6>@4C2ED v:?2 w:?@;@D2[ E96 A2CEJ’D ?@>:?66 7@C 8@G6C?@C[ 2?5 y2>6D %2=2C:4@[ H9@ H2D CF??:?8 7@C $6?2E6[ H6C6 @3D4FC6 DE2E6 =68:D=2E@CD] }@H E96J 2C6 C:D:?8 DE2CD[ 92G:?8 FAD6E E9C66\E6C> #6AF3=:42? v@G] vC68 p33@EE 2?5 6>32EE=65 DE2E6 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= z6? !2IE@?]k^Am kAm%9@D6 H6C6 ;FDE D6G6C2= @7 E96 <6J C246D 24C@DD E96 DE2E6[ 2D 6G6? D@>6 5:DEC:4ED C646?E=J C65C2H? 3J E96 #6AF3=:42?\5@>:?2E65 DE2E6 =68:D=2EFC6 E@ 6=64E #6AF3=:42?D E@ r@?8C6DD 2AA62C65 E@ 36 8@:?8 s6>@4C2E:4]k^Am People are also reading… Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations Smyth County considers permit for second battery energy storage facility Social worker issues appeal for more foster families Smyth School Board honors educator who builds on student strengths Verizon wants to hang up on landlines, but some customers aren’t so sure Diesel costs force Smyth schools to review bus use Legislators honor T-Bone Lewis, present General Assembly resolution Democrats capture Congress in sweeping setback for Trump Unflappable: QB Grunkemeyer setting the tone for Virginia Tech Grant allows Chilhowie PD to put AED in each police vehicle Morgan to discuss his new book on SWVA's rich biodiversity at Saltville museum Patrick Stewart, 'Star Trek' and 'X-Men' star, dies at 86 James Franklin aims to get Virginia Tech freshmen out of 'redshirt mode' kAm%96 H:?D H6C6 7F6=65 3J 2 C63F<6 7C@> E96 8C@H:?8 {2E:?@ G@E6C A@AF=2E:@?[ H9@ >2<6 FA C@F89=J 2 E9:C5 @7 E96 DE2E6’D G@E:?8 6=64E@C2E6[ 2?5 E96 H:56DAC625 8C@H:?8 5:D4@?E6?E 2>@?8 G@E6CD 7@C 9:89 AC:46D – 7C@> 3667 E@ 82D – 2D H6== 2D !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E 4C24<5@H?]k^AmkAm%96 3:8 H:?D 3J s6>@4C2ED H:== 2=D@ =:<6=J AFE E96 >2DD:G6 DE2E6 :? A=2J 29625 @7 E96 a_ag AC6D:56?E:2= 6=64E:@?[ 2D :E 9@=5D c_ 6=64E@C2= G@E6D] k^Am kAm{2E:?@ G@E6CD 96=A AFD9 s6>@4C2E:4 H:?Dk^Am kAms6>@4C2ED 925 366? E2C86E:?8 %6I2D 7@C J62CD[ 9@A:?8 E92E E96 8C@H:?8 {2E:?@ D92C6 @7 E96 6=64E@C2E6 H@F=5 3@@DE E96> E@ G:4E@CJ]k^Am kAmqFE #6AF3=:42?D >256 9:DE@C:4 82:?D 2>@?8 {2E:?@ %6I2D G@E6CD :? E96 %CF>A 6C2[ 6DA64:2==J :? E96 AC65@>:?2?E=J {2E:?@ C68:@? @7 E96 #:@ vC2?56 '2==6J[ 2? 2C62 ?6DE=65 2E E96 D@FE96C?>@DE E:A 2=@?8 E96 &]$]\|6I:4@ 3@C56C] k^AmkAm%CF>A :? a_ac H@? ddT @7 E96 {2E:?@ G@E6 :? E96 DE2E6[ 2 `b\A6C46?E286\A@:?E :?4C62D6 7C@> a_a_[ 2 C64@C5 9:89 7@C 2 #6AF3=:42? AC6D:56?E:2= 42?5:52E6 2?5 2 af\A6C46?E286\A@:?E :?4C62D6 7C@> a_`e[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 52E2 7C@> E96 %6I2D !@=:E:4D !C@;64E] k^Am kAmw6 2=D@ :? a_ac H@? 2== 7@FC 4@F?E:6D E92E >2<6 FA E96 #:@ vC2?56 '2==6J[ H9:49 s6>@4C2ED 925 2 46?EFCJ\=@?8 9@=5 @?i r2>6C@?[ w:52=8@[ $E2CC 2?5 (:==24J]k^Am kAmqFE A@==:?8 =625:?8 FA E@ E96 }@G] b 6=64E:@? D9@H65 E96 E:56 H2D EFC?:?8 7@C #6AF3=:42?D 2>@?8 {2E:?@ G@E6CD] k^AmkAmx? 2 A@== C6=62D65 :? ~4E@36C 3J tBF:D #6D62C49[ 2 8C@FA 7@4FD65 @? C6D62C49:?8 {2E:?@ G@E6CD[ %2=2C:4@ H2D =625:?8 !2IE@?[ dgT E@ bbT] w:?@;@D2 925 2 =625 @7 dhT @G6C p33@EE’D bdT :? E92E D2>6 DFCG6J]k^Am kAm!C6=:>:?2CJ C6DF=ED D9@H65 s6>@4C2E :?4F>36?E #6A] ':46?E6 v@?K2=6K 96=5 @? E@ %6I2D’ bcE9 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E[ H9:49 6?4@>A2D6D r2>6C@? r@F?EJ :? E96 #:@ vC2?56 '2==6J ?@CE9 E@H2C5D r@CAFD r9C:DE:[ 244@C5:?8 E@ ssw" 2?5 }qr }6HD] k^Am kAm%96 s6>@4C2E:4 42?5:52E6D :? E96 @E96C 5:DEC:4ED E92E >2<6 FA E96 #:@ vC2?56 '2==6J[ %6I2D `dE9 2?5 %6I2D agE9 5:DEC:4ED[ H6C6 EC6?5:?8 E@ E96 s6>@4C2E:4 42?5:52E6D[ %6;2?@ DE2C q@33J !F=:5@ 2?5 =@?8E:>6 #6A] w6?CJ rF6==2C] k^Am kAmQx 42??@E 36=:6G6 E96 H2J {2E:?@D 92G6 4@>6 @FE :? DF49 DEC@?8 ?F>36CD[Q w:DA2?:4 u656C2E:@? !C6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ uC2?<:6 |:C2?52 E@=5 &$p %~sp*] Q{2E:?@D H6C6 @?46 282:? E2<6? 25G2?E286 @7[ 2?5 E96 #6AF3=:42?D E9@F89E E92E E96J H6C6 :? E96 328] %9:D :D 2 D@F?5 C6;64E:@? @7 E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?VD A@=:4:6D] k^Am kAmp C676C6?5F> @? %CF>A’D 64@?@>Jk^AmkAmp>@?8 E96 E@A 4@?46C?D 7@C %6I2D G@E6CD H9@ EFC?65 282:?DE #6AF3=:42?D[ 6DA64:2==J >2? {2E:?@D[ H6C6 E96 C:D:?8 4@DE @7 =:G:?8 2?5 288C6DD:G6 :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E]k^AmkAmx? E96 ~4E@36C tBF:D #6D62C49 DFCG6J[ C:D:?8 AC:46D 2?5 :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E H6C6 E96 E@A EH@ :DDF6D 2>@?8 {2E:?@ G@E6CD]k^Am kAm$E6A92?:6 '2=6?4:2[ 4@\7@F?56C @7 tBF:D #6D62C49[ AC6G:@FD=J E@=5 &$p %~sp* E92E 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 :? %6I2D @C ?2E:@?2= A@==:?8[ :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E 2?5 56A@CE2E:@?D H6C6 E96 ?F>36C EH@ :DDF6 4:E65 3J w:DA2?:4 G@E6CD 27E6C 8C@46CJ 2?5 82D AC:46D] k^Am kAm|:C2?52 D2:5 E92E 2=@?8 E96 3@C56C :? %6I2D[ w:DA2?:4 G@E6CD 76=E “E96 H6:89E @7 E96 7656C2= A@=:4:6D @? :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E 2?5 9@H E96 64@?@>J H2D ?@E H@C<:?8 7@C E96> 2?5 9@H E96J H6C6 DECF88=:?8 E@ 7:?5 2 D@=FE:@? E@ E96D6 :DDF6D]” k^Am kAm'@E6CD 24C@DD E96 DE2E6 @7 %6I2D 4:E65 E96 64@?@>J 2D @?6 @7 E96 E@A :DDF6D 2E a`T[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 7:?2= A@== 7C@> E96 }6H *@C< %:>6D^$:6?2 &?:G6CD:EJ E92E H2D C6=62D65 }@G] `] x>>:8C2E:@? 7@==@H65 2E `bT 2?5 :?7=2E:@? 2?5 4@DE @7 =:G:?8 2E gT[ E96 A@== 7@F?5]k^Am kAmr@?EC:3FE:?8i %6CCJ r@==:?Dk^Am kAm%9:D 2CE:4=6 @C:8:?2==J 2AA62C65 @? &$p %~sp*i (9J 5:5 %6I2D EFC? 3=F6n s6>@4C2ED D6?5 D9@4<H2G6 :? v~! DEC@?89@=5k^AmkAm#6A@CE:?8 3J #636442 |@C:?[ &$p %~sp* ^ &$p %~sp*k^AmkAm&$p %~sp* }6EH@C< G:2 #6FE6CD r@??64Ek^Am 0 Comments Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Trump's midterm rebuke casts a new political landscape In a midterm rebuke, Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and Republicans lost key state-level races. Plus, h… Watch Now: Related Video Democrats complete U.S. midterms victory by retaking Senate Judge considers March retrial for Lindsay Clancy after 11-1 jury deadlock Judge considers March retrial for Lindsay Clancy after 11-1 jury deadlock Who decides the US midterms? Who decides the US midterms? Rogers Defended Epstein File Redactions Rogers Defended Epstein File Redactions
Trump's midterm rebuke casts a new political landscape In a midterm rebuke, Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and Republicans lost key state-level races. Plus, h…