Tarrant County voters weigh Senate and governor races amid national shifts

Polls in Tarrant County opened at 7 a.m. This Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as voters in Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, and Flower Mound began casting their ballots for the midterm election. The day determines who controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. In Texas, voters are deciding the state's U.S. Senate seat, which is currently an open race with no incumbent running. The state's ballot also includes a race for governor, where incumbent Greg Abbott is seeking another term. According to Ballotpedia, the parties on the ballot for these offices include the Democratic, Independent, Libertarian, and Republican parties.

The U.S. Senate race in Texas features Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico. The Associated Press notes that President Trump backed Paxton over former Senator John Cornyn during the primary. This contest takes place in a state that voted for Trump by a margin of 13.6 points in 2024. The outcome of this race, along with contests in other states, will determine if Democrats can achieve a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, while Democrats hold 45, plus two independents who caucus with Democrats.

Nationwide, voters are participating in a referendum on the president's second term. The Associated Press reports that voters are struggling with high prices and are angry over an unpopular war with Iran. AP-NORC polling indicates that 35 percent of U.S. Adults approve of Trump's job performance, while only 25 percent approve of his handling of the economy. About seven in ten adults say the country is heading in the wrong direction. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing the early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states.

The election is also deciding the control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are up for grabs. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to secure a majority, while Republicans can lose no more than two seats. Ballotpedia identifies 46 battleground districts in the House race. Six states, including Texas, are using new congressional maps after mid-decade redistricting. These new maps in states like Texas, North Carolina, and Florida may alter the dynamics of the House race, as some new districts may not vote as initially expected by party strategists.

In the Senate, the Associated Press and PBS have named several key matchups that could tip the balance of power. In North Carolina, former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff is running against Representative Mike Collins. In Ohio, former Senator Sherrod Brown is challenging Senator Jon Husted. In Michigan, former Representative Mike Rogers is competing against Abdul El-Sayed, whose former primary opponent Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday. In Maine, Senator Susan Collins faces Troy Jackson, with the Associated Press noting that economic strain and tariffs have made the state competitive.

In New Hampshire, Representative Chris Pappas is running against former Senator John E. Sununu for the seat left by retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen. In Minnesota, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya are among four candidates for the seat of retiring Senator Tina Smith. In Kansas, a reliably Republican state has become central to the fight for Senate control. In Alaska, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result. These races are being watched closely as analysts assess which chamber might change hands.

The mood on Election Day is described by the Associated Press as one of caution and optimism among Democrats, while Republicans are bracing to lose the House and fighting to hold the Senate. President Trump held dozens of rallies in the days leading up to the election, ending his schedule in Salina, Kansas, where he told supporters to pretend he is on the ballot. His schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Many Republican candidates kept their distance from the president during the final stretch, as he continued to make claims about voting fraud, including assertions that noncitizens vote in large numbers.

Election officials in Tarrant County and across Texas are managing the logistics of a high-turnout day. The U.S. Postal Service added hours, staff, and special lines to ensure mail ballots are counted on time. A federal judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from carrying out a plan it says would prevent noncitizen voting, a move critics say risks disenfranchising eligible voters. In California, a judge ordered the administration to stop demanding that election officials segregate ballots cast by people on lists of suspected noncitizens. These legal maneuvers have added a layer of complexity to the day's proceedings.

The 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history. Republican committees outraised and outspent Democratic committees, helped by Trump-affiliated groups and Elon Musk, although Democrats outraised their opponents at the candidate level. According to AP analysis of AdImpact data, 88.1 percent of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts Trump won in 2024. This includes more than $850 million spent in areas where he won by 10 points or more. The financial intensity of the campaign reflects the high stakes of the election for both parties.

Voters in Tarrant County are also deciding on state and local offices, including state senate and state house seats, as well as municipal government positions and local ballot measures. The election results will determine the leadership of both chambers of Congress and the governorships in 36 states. Democrats hope to hold a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades, a goal that has eluded them since 2010. The outcome of these races will shape the political landscape for the next two years and influence potential 2028 presidential candidates.