ANOTHER VIEW | WALL STREET A Texas election jolt to the GOP | Wall Street Journal Feb 4, 2026 Feb 4, 2026 Updated Mar 10, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save How does a Republican lose by 14 points in a safe conservative Texas state Senate seat that President Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024?kAmp?DH6Ci (96? E96C6’D 2 G@E6C 324<=2D9 282:?DE E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ ?@E23=J :ED >2DD 56A@CE2E:@? 56324=6D]k^AmkAm%92E’D H92E 92AA6?65 =2DE H66<6?5 :? 2 DA64:2= 6=64E:@? E@ 7:== 2 v~! D62E :? %2CC2?E r@F?EJ :? E96 u@CE (@CE9 2C62] s6>@4C2E %2J=@C #69>6E[ 2 =23@C F?:@? =6256C 2?5 G6E6C2?[ C@>A65 @G6C #6AF3=:42? {6:89 (2>3D82?DD[ H9@ 925 2 %CFE9 $@4:2= 6?5@CD6>6?E 7C@> %CF>A 2?5 G2DE=J @FEDA6?E #69>6E]k^Am kAm%96 6=64E:@? E:>:?8 H2D 2H7F= 7@C #6AF3=:42?D :? 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