2018 Texas elections


Elections were held in Texas on November 6, 2018. All of Texas's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Texas's 36 seats in the United States House of Representatives. The Republican and Democratic Parties nominated their candidates by primaries held on March 6, 2018. Convention parties nominated their candidates at a series of conventions. County conventions were held on March 17, 2018; district conventions were held on March 24, 2018; and a state convention was held on April 14, 2018. There is currently only one convention party in Texas, the Libertarian Party. Other parties may seek to achieve ballot access.
Turnout in the November general election reached historic levels, rivaling turnout in a presidential election. While the Republican Party won every statewide position, the margin of victory was narrower than in previous elections.

Federal

United States Senate

Democratic U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke and Libertarian candidate Neal Dikeman challenged U.S. Senator Ted Cruz for re-election. Cruz narrowly defeated O'Rourke by 2.6%.

United States House of Representatives

All of Texas's 36 seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. No open seats changed hands, but two Republican incumbents lost to Democrats.

Executive

Governor

Incumbent governor Greg Abbott ran for a second term. He was first elected in 2014 after serving twelve years as Texas Attorney General, and he succeeded Rick Perry as governor.
Abbott won the March 20, 2018, Republican primary, while Lupe Valdez won the Democratic runoff against Andrew White, becoming the first Latina nominated by a major party for statewide office in Texas.
Libertarian Mark Tippetts also ran against Abbott. Tippetts defeated Kathie Glass, Patrick "Not Governor" Smith, and Kory Watkins at the party convention to earn his nomination.

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Lieutenant governor Dan Patrick ran for a second term, having first been elected in 2014.
In the Republican primary, Patrick easily dispatched his primary challengers for the Republican nomination.
In the Democratic primary, Mike Collier narrowly defeated Michael Cooper for the Democratic nomination.
Patrick would go on to win a second term in the general election, but by a significantly reduced margin from his first run. His margin was likely pulled down due to the national environment favoring Democrats while President Trump was in office and a strong candidacy by Democrat Beto O'Rourke at the top of the ticket against Senator Ted Cruz.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Incumbent Republican comptroller Glenn Hegar ran for re-election to a second term.

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

Libertarian state convention

Candidates
  • Ben Sanders

General election

Results

Commissioner of the General Land Office

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • Tex Morgan, software engineer, former member of VIA Metropolitan Transit board
  • Miguel Suazo, energy and natural resources attorney
    Results

Libertarian state convention

Candidates
  • Matt Piña

General election

Endorsements
Polling
Results

Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Sid Miller ran for re-election to a second term.

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

Libertarian state convention

Candidates

General election

Results

Railroad Commissioner

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Christi Craddick ran for re-election to a second six-year term.

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • Roman McAllen, historic preservation officer
  • Chris Spellmon, businessman
    Results

Libertarian state convention

Candidates
  • Mike Wright

General election

Results

Judicial

Supreme Court

Place 2

Incumbent Justice Jimmy Blacklock ran for a full term after being appointed by Governor Greg Abbott on January 2, 2018. Justice Blacklock filled the vacant seat left by Don Willett due to his appointment by President Donald Trump to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Steven Kirkland, judge of the Harris County District Court
    Results
General election
Results

Place 4

Incumbent Justice John Devine ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
General election
Results

Place 6

Incumbent Justice Jeff Brown ran for a full eight-year term after being elected to finish Chief Justice Nathan Hecht's term in 2014.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Kathy Cheng, business litigator
    Results
General election
Results

Court of Criminal Appeals

Presiding Judge

Incumbent presiding judge Sharon Keller ran for re-election to a 5th six-year term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Maria T. Jackson, judge of the Harris County District Court
    Results
General election
Results

Place 7

Incumbent Judge Barbara Hervey ran for re-election to a 4th six-year term.
Republican primary
Candidates
Democratic primary
Candidates
  • Ramona Franklin, judge of the Harris County District Court
    Results
General election
Results

Place 8

Incumbent Judge Elsa Alcala did not seek re-election to a second term.
Republican primary
Candidates
General election
Results

State Board of Education

Member, District 12

Democratic primary

First round
Malone-Miller withdrew after the first round, eliminating the need for a runoff.

Texas Legislature

Every seat in the Texas House of Representatives and about half of the seats in the Texas Senate were up for election.