Blue Wave? Is Blexas finally here?

“Our time is now!” A slogan from the invigorating Zohran Mamdani campaign that rang true in New York and across the US, as part of a national wave of Americans turning out for Democrats and progressives alike—and Texas was no exception in multiple candidate races.

Outside our borders, the November 2025 elections sent shockwaves of Democratic support for candidates that reflect the multicultural, diverse America we know and love: electing two female governors in New Jersey and Virginia, the first Muslim to be Mayor of New York, and countless victories across the nation. Many saw hope for the first time (in a long time), as voters broke a 13-year-long Republican supermajority in the Mississippi state Senate, re-elected three Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices, and elected two Georgia Public Service Commissioners.

One of the biggest wins of Tuesday night is the overwhelmingly passed California Prop 50: designed specifically to counteract Texas’ racially-redistricted maps. Texas had its own 17-item constitutional amendment election, and while Texans will be better for investments in technical colleges and the water fund, some real regressive items passed including more power for our extremist governor over judges and redundant voting laws meant to appeal to the far-right. Blame lack of voter education or Dems who voted with Republicans in the regular legislative session to advance these bills to amend the Texas Constitution. 

Back to the wins…what a night for Democrats across the country, an unmistakable refutation of billionaire-funded, Trump-endorsed candidates, splashed across our screens. For Texas progressives, waiting on runoff special election results to come, it was not unlike watching a great big party from outside, but signs of hope remain! 

Whether you attribute these victories to compelling candidates, or economic instability, it’s clear that what people want are political figures who will deliver on basic needs like food, healthcare, shelter, and affordability. As progressives, the core of our values system is providing a government that works for all. What’s been missing is turning those values into electoral wins statewide. Until now? Strong ground campaigns, community building, and progressive policy platforms will build momentum as we prepare for 2026. 

Here’s our breakdown of where Texas special elections and statewide constitutional amendments stand, plus the launch of our Humans Against Abbott campaign! 

Texas Elections By Major Metro!

HOUSTON

In Houston’s Congressional District 18, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards will face each other once again in a runoff election, leaving the abandoned constituents of CD18 unrepresented still. You can blame Gov. Greg Abbott for that, as he refused to call a special election back in March 2024, to help Republican legislation pass with the vacant seat and shift the House’s partisan balance. This week Menefee took 28.9% to Edwards’ 25.6%, a difference of about 2,500 votes and just over three percentage points, while state Representative Jolanda Jones drew a respectable 19.1%. Ryan Nickerson at the Houston Chronicle says the eventual runoff winner will serve through January of 2027, and all of this happens as a decision remains pending on the new Trump-ordered map which includes a drastic redraw of CD-18. More to come on that, especially with Prop 50 passing. Listen to our podcast with Menefee and Edwards here.

DFW

Meanwhile, up in the DFW area, Republicans spent millions of dollars on the state senate seat for District 9, just for a Democrat who only spent around 70K on his campaign, to take home the most votes in the special election—just shy of the amount needed to win outright. That is labor leader Taylor Rehmet, who garnered 47.5% of the vote (or about 14,000 more votes) , as the two MAGA Republicans he faced split the rest. That goes to a runoff as well, where he will once again face Trump-endorsed and Tim Dunn-backed conservative activist, Patriot-Mobile executive Leigh Wambsganss. Listen to our podcast with Rehmet here.

CENTRAL TEXAS: ATX & SATX

Both Austin and San Antonio faced local taxing decisions on their ballots. 

In Austin, the big story was Prop Q, a more than 20% tax hike that city officials had presented as a required measure to maintain current service levels, which the Austin American Statesman says was overwhelmingly defeated in what they see as a sharp break from Austin’s progressive voting history. You ask me, I see it as part of the national pushback by voters who are already stretched to their financial limits. Prop Q would have bumped the average Austin property tax bill up by $300. At a moment when everyone seems to be struggling, a combination here of a failure by Prop Q’s backers to fully explain the need for the tax hike, and success on the part of its opponents, who have accused Austin’s municipal government of spending frivolously.

In San Antonio, Bexar County’s Prop B, earmarking up to $311 million in County hotel and rental car tax dollars for a new $1.3 billion San Antonio Spurs arena to be built at Hemisfair passed by just over 52%. The arena is set to be the centerpiece of Project Marvel, the proposed downtown sports and entertainment district that would include new apartments, restaurants and bars and has been the subject of much political concentration in the San Antonio area for a long time now.

Looking Ahead to 2026 with New Humans Against Abbott Merch

We’re counting down, and there’s just one year until we can vote out Gov. Greg Abbott! If you’re feeling good and hopeful, replicate this feeling a year from today when we kick Greg Abbott out of the governor’s office! So far, three Democratic candidates have stepped up and you can review our podcasts with each of them below. No matter who you’re voting for in the primary, we’re all Humans Against Abbott, and we all know Greg’s got to go! Listen to our podcasts with each candidate here: Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Bobby Cole, and Andrew White.

The clock starts ticking today to oust the current longest sitting governor in the United States: and look at the chaos he’s caused in only ten years! To prepare for 2026, get your conversation starter and the merch to match your values at our always-open store, with first-ever-released “Humans Against Abbott” T-shirts, totes, yardsigns, and buttons.

Each purchase supports Progress Texas, as we amplify progressive champions across the state, and engage millions online through our vast social media presence and 2.5% globally rated podcast network.

What’s Next

• Buy Humans Against Abbott Merch today, or make a donation to Progress Texas. 
• Finish out 2025 with us, at our holiday events in Austin and Dallas: we’ll be hosting live podcast recordings with progressive powerhouses at each, for the first time ever!