Texas Republicans Face 'Generational Wipeout' Amid Disastrous Polls

Texas GOP polls show Democrats leading in key races as party fractures over racist comments.

Sep 18, 2026

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Texas Republicans Face 'Generational Wipeout' Amid Disastrous Polls

Texas GOP polls show Democrats leading in key races as party fractures over racist comments.

In brief

Texas GOP polls show Democrats leading in key races as party fractures over racist comments. Texas Republicans face potential generational wipeout after disastrous polls and internal party conflict over racist remarks. Originally reported by Newsweek.

Texas GOP Polls Show Democratic Leads

Two new polls show Democrats leading or within striking distance in Texas's biggest races.

Senate Race Polls

Siena College/ReconMR poll shows James Talarico leading Ken Paxton 49 percent to 43 percent in U.S. Senate race.

Governor's Race Polls

Governor's Race Polls

Democratic state Representative Gina Hinojosa leads Republican Governor Greg Abbott 49 percent to 45 percent in governor's race.

Competitive Races

Democrats narrowly lead in lieutenant governor's and attorney general races with 47 percent to 46 percent and 45 percent to 44 percent margins.

Independent Voter Shifts

Hinojosa leads Abbott among independents 65 percent to 27 percent, up from 49 percent to 36 percent in July.

Polling Concerns

Left: Ken Paxton, Texas senatorial candidate, speaks at the Republican convention in Dallas, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez). Right: Democra

Texas Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser warned of historic losses if polls trend toward Democrats.

Bo French Controversy

Republican Railroad Commission nominee Bo French posted racist social media comments about UT students.

Party Backlash

Texas Republicans condemned French's remarks, with Senator Cornyn calling it 'bigotry' and Governor Abbott saying it's 'not my message'.

Convention Photo Controversy

Karl Rove, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, speaking at The Texas Tribune Festival. Austin, Texas, September 7, 2024. (Mario Cantu/Cal Sport Media via

Texas GOP convention photo sparked racist replies questioning racial makeup of attendees.

Karl Rove's Vote

Karl Rove, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, voted for Democrat Jon Rosenthal in Railroad Commission race.

Party Divisions

Texas GOP faces split between Trump-aligned populists and establishment figures over party direction.

National Convention

Trump urged Republicans to treat election as referendum on presidency at Dallas convention.

Data Centers Conflict

Texas Republicans face opposition to AI data centers expansion from local officials.

Polling Outlook

Steinhauser cautioned against sweeping conclusions, noting Republicans have held every statewide office since 1994.

What matters most

Texas Republicans face potential generational wipeout after disastrous polls and internal party conflict over racist remarks.

Read the original on Newsweek

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