{"id":481377,"date":"2026-10-30T12:34:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T12:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/481377\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T12:34:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T12:34:09","slug":"ap-decision-notes-what-to-expect-in-texas-on-election-day-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/481377\/","title":{"rendered":"AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Texas on Election Day | Ap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The 2026 midterm election is one of the biggest tests of Republican dominance in Texas \u2014 and Democrats\u2019 best shot in decades at winning a key U.S. Senate seat in the state.<\/p>\n<p>Voters in the Lone Star state will cast ballots in a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/talarico-paxton-texas-trump-election-senate-musk-cdd63124d5e4aaaf66746fe0b79a82fe\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">hotly contested U.S. Senate race<\/a> and elect U.S. House representatives to districts newly redrawn to favor Republican candidates in contests that could be decisive in Democrats\u2019 bid to retake control of Congress. Voters will also elect a governor, state and local representatives and judges, and decide on ballot measures.<\/p>\n<p>kAmu24:?8 @77 \ud83d\ude15 E96 C246 7@C $6?2E6 2C6 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 DE2E6 #6A] y2&gt;6D %2=2C:4@ 2?5 #6AF3=:42? z6? !2IE@?[ E96 DE2E6\u2019D 6&gt;32EE=65 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2= 2?5 2? 2==J @7 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF&gt;A] !2IE@? 362E @FE E96 D62EVD :?4F&gt;36?E @7 @G6C EH@ 564256D[ $6?] y@9? r@C?J?[ 7@C E96 #6AF3=:42? ?@&gt;:?2E:@? \ud83d\ude15 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^AC@;64ED^6=64E:@?D\\a_ae^E6I2D\\AC:&gt;2CJ\\CF?@77\\C6DF=ED\\FD\\D6?2E6^QmE:89E AC:&gt;2CJ CF?@77 C246k^2m 27E6C r@C?J? =@DE 72G@C H:E9 E96 AC6D:56?E 2?5 !2IE@? C646:G65 %CF&gt;A\u2019D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^ECF&gt;A\\E6I2D\\D6?2E6\\6?5@CD6&gt;6?E\\A2IE@?\\4@C?J?\\253c4fa`b74a5_53_3ah5_23ed5chbgcQm=2DE\\&gt;:?FE6 6?5@CD6&gt;6?Ek^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%CF&gt;A\u2019D DFAA@CE 7@C !2IE@?[ H9@ 92D AC@&gt;:D65 E@ 492&gt;A:@? E96 AC6D:56?E\u2019D AC:@C:E:6D :7 96 H:?D E96 6=64E:@?[ 92D 366? 3@E9 2 4CF4:2= 2DD6E 2?5 2 =:23:=:EJ 7@C E96 42?5:52E6] %96 42?5:52E6\u2019D H63D:E6 D2JD 96 \ud83d\ude00 \u201cCF??:?8 E@ 96=A !C6D:56?E %CF&gt;A 7:?:D9 E96 3@C56C H2==\u201d 2?5 DE2E6D E92E 96 A=2?D E@ 96=A E96 AC6D:56?E 56A@CE \u201c4C:&gt;:?2= :==682= 2=:6?D]\u201d qFE %6I2D D92C6D @G6C `[a__ &gt;:=6D @7 3@C56C H:E9 |6I:4@[ 2?5 E96 C:D:?8 ?F&gt;36C @7 2CC6DED 3J x&gt;&gt;:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@&gt;D t?7@C46&gt;6?E C:D2&lt;6 FA @G6C b_ A6C46?E @7 E96 DE2E6\u2019D 6=64E@C2E6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%2=2C:4@ 92D DEC6DD65 E96 ?665 7@C 3@C56C D64FC:EJ 3FE 2=D@ 42==65 7@C =682= :&gt;&gt;:8C2E:@? E@ 36 &gt;256 62D:6C[ D2J:?8 \ud83d\ude15 42&gt;A2:8? &gt;2E6C:2=D[ \u201c@FC 3@C56C D9@F=5 36 =:&lt;6 2 7C@?E A@C49 \u2014 :E D9@F=5 92G6 2 H6=4@&gt;6 &gt;2E @FE 7C@?E 2?5 2 =@4&lt; @? E96 5@@C]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmq@E9 42?5:52E6D 92G6 &gt;256 277@C523:=:EJ 46?EC2= E@ E96:C 42&gt;A2:8? &gt;6DD28:?8] %2=2C:4@ 92D AC@&gt;:D65 E@ 4FE E2I6D 7@C E96 &gt;:55=6 4=2DD[ :?4C62D6 E2I6D @? 3:==:@?2:C6D 2?5 C6A62= %CF&gt;A\u2019D E2C:77D @? :&gt;A@CED] !2IE@? 92D D2:5 96 A=2?D E@ 4FE E2I6D[ C65F46 7656C2= DA6?5:?8 2?5 C6&gt;@G6 C68F=2E:@?D @? 6?6C8J 4@&gt;A2?:6D E92E 92C&gt; E96 64@?@&gt;J]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%CF&gt;A 42CC:65 %6I2D \ud83d\ude15 E96 =2DE E9C66 AC6D:56?E:2= 6=64E:@?D[ 56762E:?8 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 ?@&gt;:?66 2?5 7@C&gt;6C &#8216;:46 !C6D:56?E z2&gt;2=2 w2CC:D 3J @G6C `_ A6C46?E286 A@:?ED \ud83d\ude15 a_ac] %96 DE2E6 92D ?@E 6=64E65 2 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 D6?2E@C D:?46 `hgg] *6E C646?E A@==D DF886DE 2 E:89E C246]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 %6I2D C246 4@F=5 364@&gt;6 E96 &gt;@DE 6IA6?D:G6 $6?2E6 C246 \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?ECJ\u2019D 9:DE@CJ] pD @7 &gt;:5\\~4E@36C[ %2=2C:4@ 925 C2:D65 &gt;@C6 E92? S`ce]b &gt;:==:@?[ 64=:AD:?8 !2IE@?\u2019D Saa]b &gt;:==:@?] qFE 9F?5C65D @7 &gt;:==:@?D &gt;@C6 \ud83d\ude15 :?56A6?56?E 6IA6?5:EFC6D 92G6 8:G6? !2IE@? E96 25G2?E286 \ud83d\ude15 E@E2= DA6?5:?8] t=@? |FD&lt;[ E96 H@C=5\u2019D C:496DE &gt;2? 2?5 2 %6I2D C6D:56?E[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^E2=2C:4@\\A2IE@?\\E6I2D\\ECF&gt;A\\6=64E:@?\\D6?2E6\\&gt;FD&lt;\\455eb`ac5d6c2227eefce76_3fh2ga76Qm82G6 S`dg &gt;:==:@?k^2m E@ E96 #6AF3=:42?\\DFAA@CE:?8 $6?2E6 {6256CD9:A !pr[ H9:49 5@?2E65 E96 D2&gt;6 2&gt;@F?E E@ %6I2D !pr[ 2 8C@FA DFAA@CE:?8 !2IE@?] |FD&lt; 2=D@ 82G6 S`_ &gt;:==:@? E@ E96 {@?6 $E2C {:36CEJ !pr[ H9:49 DFAA@CED !2IE@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp&gt;@?8 E96 &gt;@DE 4@&gt;A6E:E:G6 w@FD6 C246D \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?ECJ \ud83d\ude00 E96 @?6 7@C %6I2D\u2019 bcE9 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E @? E96 DE2E6\u2019D D@FE96C? vF=7 r@2DE] s6&gt;@4C2E:4 #6A] &#8216;:46?E6 v@?K2=6K \ud83d\ude00 CF??:?8 7@C C66=64E:@? 282:?DE tC:4 u=@C6D[ 2 #6AF3=:42? 2?5 pC&gt;J G6E6C2? 6?5@CD65 3J %CF&gt;A]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmx? E96 a_ac 6=64E:@?[ v@?K2=6K H@? E96 5:DEC:4E 3J 2 E9:? &gt;2C8:? @7 =6DD E92? b A6C46?E286 A@:?ED[ 2?5 :ED 3@F?52C:6D H6C6 C65C2H? \ud83d\ude15 a_ad E@ 25G2?E286 #6AF3=:42?D] x? 2 A@DD:3=6 D:8? @7 8C@H:?8 H2C:?6DD @7 2DD@4:2E:?8 H:E9 E96 AC6D:56?E[ u=@C6D\u2019 42&gt;A2:8? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^&gt;:5E6C&gt;\\6=64E:@?D\\C6AF3=:42?D\\ECF&gt;A\\A@AF=2C:EJ\\5:D2AAC@G2=\\hd7dh6b23_h7d66_6egbchdb_77g4g62Qm2AA62C65 E@ C6&gt;@G6 2 C676C6?46 E@ %CF&gt;Ak^2m 7C@&gt; 2 D64E:@? @7 9:D H63D:E6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAms6&gt;@4C2ED 2C6 9@A:?8 E@ C64=2:&gt; %6I2D\u2019D `dE9 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E[ 2? :?=2?5 DEC:A \ud83d\ude15 E96 D@FE96C? A2CE @7 E96 DE2E6 2?5 E96 @?=J A2CE @7 E96 #:@ vC2?56 &#8216;2==6J C6AC6D6?E65 3J 2 #6AF3=:42? \ud83d\ude15 E96 &amp;]$] w@FD6] |@?:42 s6 {2 rCFK[ E96 :?4F&gt;36?E #6AF3=:42?[ \ud83d\ude00 724:?8 s6&gt;@4C2E q@33J !F=:5@[ 2 %6;2?@ &gt;FD:4:2? 2?5 A@=:E:42= ?6H4@&gt;6C[ \ud83d\ude15 2 ?6H=J C65C2H? G6CD:@? @7 E96 5:DEC:4E E92E 72G@CD #6AF3=:42?D] s6 {2 rCFK H@? 96C a_ac C66=64E:@? 3J 2 &gt;2C8:? @7 ?62C=J `d A6C46?E286 A@:?ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp?@E96C C246 E92E 92D 364@&gt;6 :?4C62D:?8=J 4@&gt;A6E:E:G6 \ud83d\ude00 E96 %6I2D 8@G6C?@CVD C246 36EH66? #6AF3=:42? v@G] vC68 p33@EE[ H9@ 92D 96=5 @77:46 D:?46 a_`d[ 2?5 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 DE2E6 w@FD6 #6A] v:?2 w:?@;@D2] %6I2D 92D 6=64E65 @?=J #6AF3=:42? 8@G6C?@CD D:?46 `hhc[ 2?5 %CF&gt;A 6?5@CD65 p33@EE] qFE E96 &gt;@DE C646?E A@==D D9@H 2 E:89E C246[ &gt;2&lt;:?8 E96 4FCC6?E 4@?E6DE @?6 @7 E96 &gt;@DE GF=?6C23=6 \ud83d\ude15 p33@EE\u2019D 42C66C]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6C6 2C6 D@&gt;6 @7 E96 &lt;6J 724ED 23@FE E96 6=64E:@? 2?5 52E2 A@:?ED E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^2A\\6=64E:@?\\C246\\42==D\\G@E6\\4@F?E\\C6DF=ED\\3heec5fh_65d67a_f_d`_`6gbeef6_3aQmp! s64:D:@? %62&gt;k^2m H:== &gt;@?:E@C 2D E96 G@E6D 2C6 E2==:65ik^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9am(96? 5@ A@==D 4=@D6nk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm!@==D 4=@D6 2E f A]&gt;] =@42= E:&gt;6[ H9:49 \ud83d\ude00 g A]&gt;] 2?5 h A]&gt;] t%]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9am(92E\u2019D @? E96 32==@Enk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD H:== AC@G:56 G@E6 C6DF=ED 2?5 564=2C6 H:??6CD \ud83d\ude15 C246D 7@C &amp;]$] $6?2E6[ 8@G6C?@C[ &amp;]$] w@FD6[ =:6FE6?2?E 8@G6C?@C[ 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2=[ DE2E6 $FAC6&gt;6 r@FCE[ DE2E6 $6?2E6[ DE2E6 w@FD6[ 28C:4F=EFC6 4@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C[ 4@&gt;AEC@==6C[ 2AA62=D 4@FCE ;F586D[ =2?5 4@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C[ C2:=C@25 4@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C 2?5 DE2E6 q@2C5 @7 t5F42E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amw@H &gt;2?J A6@A=6 G@E65 \ud83d\ude15 E96 =2DE &gt;:5E6C&gt; 6=64E:@?nk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~G6C g &gt;:==:@? G@E6D H6C6 42DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 a_aa C246 7@C 8@G6C?@C \ud83d\ude15 %6I2D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amw@H &gt;F49 @7 E96 G@E6 \ud83d\ude00 42DE 3J 23D6?E66 32==@Enk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp3@FE egT @7 2== 32==@ED 42DE \ud83d\ude15 %6I2D\u2019D a_aa C246 7@C 8@G6C?@C H6C6 42DE 62C=J @C 3J 23D6?E66 32==@E] %96 =2E6DE 25G2?46 G@E6 E@E2=D 7@C %6I2D 42? 36 7@F?5 \ud83d\ude15 E96 p!\u2019D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^AC@;64ED^6=64E:@?D\\a_ae^25G2?46\\G@E6^Qm25G2?46 G@E6 EC24&lt;6Ck^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9am(96? 2C6 62C=J 2?5 23D6?E66 G@E6D C6=62D65nk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 G2DE &gt;2;@C:EJ @7 %6I2DV 4@F?E:6D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ C6=62D6 2== @C 2=&gt;@DE 2== @7 E96:C 62C=J 2?5 23D6?E66 G@E:?8 C6DF=ED \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:CDE G@E6 FA52E6 @7 E96 ?:89E[ \ud83d\ude15 &gt;@DE 42D6D 367@C6 2?J :?\\A6CD@? t=64E:@? s2J C6DF=ED 2C6 C6=62D65]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amw@H =@?8 5@6D G@E6\\4@F?E:?8 FDF2==J E2&lt;6nk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 7:CDE C6DF=ED @7 E96 a_ac 6=64E:@? H6C6 C6A@CE65 DE2CE:?8 2E g A]&gt;] t% @? }@G] d[ a_ac[ 2D E96 7:CDE A@==D 3682? E@ 4=@D6] %96 DE2E6 C624965 d_T @7 G@E6D C6A@CE:?8 2E giah A]&gt;] t%[ 2?5 h_T @7 G@E6D C6A@CE:?8 2E `ai`f 2]&gt;] t% @? }@G] e[ a_ac]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9am(96? H:== E96 p! 564=2C6 2 H:??6Cnk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD 5@6D ?@E &gt;2&lt;6 AC@;64E:@?D 2?5 H:== 564=2C6 2 H:??6C @?=J H96? :E\u2019D 56E6C&gt;:?65 E96C6 \ud83d\ude00 ?@ D46?2C:@ E92E H@F=5 2==@H 2 EC2:=:?8 42?5:52E6 E@ 4=@D6 E96 82A] x7 2 C246 92D ?@E 366? 42==65[ E96 p! H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 4@G6C 2?J ?6HDH@CE9J 56G6=@A&gt;6?ED[ DF49 2D 42?5:52E6 4@?46DD:@?D @C 564=2C2E:@?D @7 G:4E@CJ] x? 5@:?8 D@[ E96 p! H:== &gt;2&lt;6 4=62C E92E :E 92D ?@E J6E 564=2C65 2 H:??6C 2?5 6IA=2:? H9J]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amw@H 5@ C64@F?ED H@C<\/p>\n<p>kAm#64@F?ED \ud83d\ude15 %6I2D 2C6 2FE@&gt;2E:4 :7 E96C6 \ud83d\ude00 2 E:6 G@E6] p C64@F?E 42? 36 C6BF6DE65 :7 E96 &gt;2C8:? @7 G:4E@CJ \ud83d\ude00 =6DD E92? `_T @7 E96 H:??6C\u2019D G@E6D[ @C E96 C246 92D 76H6C E92? `[___ E@E2= G@E6D] %96 p! &gt;2J 564=2C6 2 H:??6C \ud83d\ude15 2 C246 E92E \ud83d\ude00 DF3;64E E@ 2 C64@F?E :7 :E 42? 56E6C&gt;:?6 E96 =625 \ud83d\ude00 E@@ =2C86 7@C 2 C64@F?E @C =682= 492==6?86 E@ 492?86 E96 @FE4@&gt;6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAmu@==@H E96 p!\u2019D 4@G6C286 @7 E96 a_ae 6=64E:@? 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^AC@;64ED^6=64E:@?D\\a_ae^Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^AC@;64ED^6=64E:@?D\\a_ae^k^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>        &#13;<br \/>\n                                &#13;<\/p>\n<p>        &#13;<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The 2026 midterm election is one of the biggest tests of Republican dominance in Texas&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":481378,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133,288,31095,287,162286,2279],"class_list":["post-481377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news","tag-elections","tag-midterm-elections","tag-politics","tag-texas-election-senate-paxton-talarico","tag-voting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=481377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481377\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/481378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=481377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=481377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=481377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}