Your Texas election guide
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Texans have a chance to weigh in on rare competitive statewide races with early voting now open ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.
Why it matters: The elections will test a brazen plan by Texas Republicans to redraw five Democratic U.S. House districts to their advantage.
- Democrats need to flip 14 seats to take the Texas House majority and gain of four seats to win the state Senate — both tall orders.
The big picture: Texas Democrats are hoping to capitalize on opposition to President Trump and Republicans are defending their longtime dominance.
- The U.S. Senate race pitting Democratic state Rep. James Talarico against Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton could determine whether the chamber stays in GOP hands or tips to Democrats, with big implications for the last two years of Trump's term.
- Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott is locked in an unexpectedly tight race against state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, despite his massive fundraising advantage.
Between the lines: The state of alarm for Texas Republicans extends to other statewide offices.
- A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll released last week showed Vikki Goodwin narrowly leading Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
- Democrat Nathan Johnson, from Dallas, leads Republican Mayes Middleton, from Galveston, in the attorney general's race.
- All statewide races surveyed in the poll are within the margin of error.
Reality check: Polls aren't election results, and no Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994.
Other statewide races to watch: Republican and Dallas native Don Huffines faces Austin-area Democratic state senator Sarah Eckhardt for comptroller, an office that oversees state finances and tax collection.
- Republican Bo French faces Democrat Jon Rosenthal for a seat on the Railroad Commission, which regulates Texas' oil and gas industry, not railroads. French, former Tarrant County Republican Party chair, has drawn controversy over comments about diversity.
Key dates: In-person early voting begins today and ends Oct. 30.
- Oct. 23 is the last day to apply to vote by mail. Eligible voters include those 65 or older on Election Day and those who are sick or disabled.