A Flip In The Texas House

This story has been updated to include a full list of flipped house seats, as well as several others still waiting on an official call

Democrats not only flipped every statewide office in Texas on Election night, they also have captured enough seats to win the Texas House. The results are a stunning sea change in Texas, which has in the last few legislative cycles been the epicenter of rightwing rule.

On Wednesday morning, Democrats had flipped 22 seats in the Texas House. Many were clustered in urban and suburban areas. Tarrant County in particular was considered a bellwether. The Associated Press has projected wins in HD-94 (with Democrat Katie O'Brien Duzan), HD-96 (with Democrat Ebony Turner), and with 99 percent in, Democrat Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin is leading Republican John McQueeney in HD-97.

In HD-112, one of just two Dallas districts still controlled by Republicans, Democrat Zach Herbert bested incumbent Angie Chen Button by several thousand votes.

In HD-55, in Bell County, incumbent Hillary Hickland was trailing Democrat Amelia Rabroker in an extremely tight race. In HD-63, centered around Denton county, incumbent Ben Bumgarner had conceded to Democrat Denise Wooten.

Farther south, Democrats also continued their winning streak. Democrat Kristian Carranza appeared to win HD-118 in Bexar County with over 61 percent of the vote.

As Democrats appear poised to take over a legislative branch of Texas, Democrat Senfronia Thompson has already announced she will file to be the next Speaker. She also has the backing of several prominent Texas Democrats including Rep. Gene Wu, Rep. Donna Howard, and Rep. Jessica Gonzalez.

Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee Chair Christina Morales noted the historic importance of the wins, and hinted at what's to come in the next legislative session. “Last night, Texas voters flipped 21 Texas House seats and counting, giving Democrats the majority for the first time in decades," she said in a statement. "Texans looked at a Capitol run for billionaires, megadonors, and special interests, and they chose something better." 

Democrat Flipped Seats:

• HD 34: Stephanie Guerrero Sáenz (D) defeats incumbent Denise Villalobos (R), Nueces County 
• HD 37: Ozzie Ochoa Jr. (D) defeats incumbent Janie Lopez (R), Cameron County
• HD 52: Chris Jimenez (D) defeats incumbent Caroline Harris Davila (R), Williamson County
• HD 55: Amelia Rabroker (D) defeats incumbent Hillary Hickland (R), Bell County
• HD 63: Denise Wooten (D) defeats incumbent Ben Bumgarner (R), Denton County
• HD 80: Cecilia Castellano (D) defeats incumbent Don McLaughlin (R), South Texas
• HD 94: Katie O'Brien Duzan (D) defeats Cheryl Bean (R), Tarrant County
• HD 96: Ebony Turner (D) defeats Ellen Fleischmann (R), Tarrant County 
• HD 97: Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin (D) defeats incumbent John McQueeney (R), Tarrant County
• HD 112: Zach Herbert (D) defeats incumbent Angie Chen Button (R), Dallas County
• HD 118: Kristian Carranza (D) defeats Jorge Borrego (R), Bexar County 
• HD 121: Zack Dunn (D) defeats incumbent Marc LaHood (R), Bexar County
• HD 132: Sara McGee (D) defeats incumbent Mike Schofield (R), Harris County
• HD 138: Tyler Smith (D) defeats incumbent Lacey Hull (R), Harris County
• HD 14: Janet Dudding (D) defeats incumbent Paul Dyson(R), Brazos County
• HD 28: Sandy Ibanez (D) vs. Gary Gates (R), Fort Bend County
• HD 89: Angie Carraway (D) defeats incumbent Candy Noble (R), Collin County
• HD 93: Ericka Lomick (D) defeats Alan Blaylock (R), Tarrant County
• HD 126: Stephanie Bord (D) defeats incumbent Stan Stanart (R), Harris County
• HD 127: Michelle Williams (D) defeats incumbent Charles Cunningham (R), Harris County
• HD 150: A'Yonna Kellum (D) defeats incumbent Valoree Swanson (R), Harris County

Too Close to Call:

• HD 26: Eliz Markowitz (D) vs. Matt Morgan (R), Fort Bend County
• HD 61: Brittany Black (D) vs. Keresa Richardson (R), Collin County 
• HD 67: Jordan Wheatley (D) vs. Jeff Leach (R), Collin County