The following election speed read comes by way of Dentons 50 partner Ray Sullivan.
Texas Republicans on Tuesday routed their Democratic rivals in every statewide contest and retained their majorities, though diminished, in the state legislature.
Despite their defeat, the election bore some interesting results for the minority party: the state’s largest urban counties (Dallas, Harris, Bexar, and Travis) went heavily Democratic.
Republicans lost four state House seats, including three of six Hispanic Republican House members. The GOP will retain 95 seats in the 150 seat House. There were no changes in the Texas Senate, which has a 20-11 GOP majority.
Despite the expectation that control of one congressional seat could flip to the Democratic column, San Antonio Rep. Will Hurd managed reelection to the U.S. House.
Republicans’ statewide sweep continues a trend that began in 1994, but Republican businessman Donald Trump’s nine-point lead over Secretary Hillary Clinton marks the lowest margin of victory for a Republican presidential candidate in fully 20 years.
Texas was Mr. Trump’s best state for fundraising, providing about $11 million to his campaign’s coffers.
