# Texas Republicans Face 'Generational Wipeout' Amid Disastrous Polls

> Texas GOP polls show Democrats leading in key races as party fractures over racist comments.
- Title: Texas Republicans Face 'Generational Wipeout' Amid Disastrous…
- Summary: Texas GOP polls show Democrats leading in key races as party fractures over racist comments. Texas Republicans face potential generational wipeout after…
- Keywords: texas, republicans, polls, senate, governor, gina hinojosa, ken paxton, greg abbott, bo french, karl rove, railroad commission, texas republican party
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/texas-republicans-face-generational-wipeout-amid-disastrous-polls-12457145
- Published: 2026-09-18T14:04:38+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: texas, republicans, polls, senate, governor, gina hinojosa, ken paxton, greg abbott, bo french, karl rove, railroad commission, texas republican party
## 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
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
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
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.
## Key takeaway

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