2018 Texas elections

The 2018 general election was held in the U.S. state of 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 thirty-six seats in the United States House of Representatives. The Republican and Democratic Parties nominated their candidates by primaries held March 6, 2018. Convention Parties nominated their candidates at a series of conventions. County Conventions held March 17, 2018, District Conventions held March 24, 2018, and a State Convention held April 14, 2018. At the present time there is only one Convention Party in Texas, that is 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 previous elections.

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 thirty-six 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.

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
On January 9, 2017, the day before the 85th Texas Legislature began its session, incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Dan Patrick announced he would run for re-election in 2018. He stated his early announcement was in order to dispel rumors of a primary challenge to Governor Greg Abbott or U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

Candidates

 * Scott Milder, former Rockwall city councilman
 * Dan Patrick, incumbent lieutenant governor

Candidates

 * Mike Collier, businessman, finance Chair of the Texas Democratic Party, and nominee for Texas Comptroller in 2014
 * Michael Cooper, businessman, community leader, and pastor

Candidates

 * Kerry Douglas McKennon

Comptroller of Public Accounts
Incumbent Republican comptroller Glenn Hegar ran for re-election to a second term.

Candidates

 * Glenn Hegar, incumbent comptroller

Candidates

 * Joi Chevalier, business owner
 * Tim Mahoney, attorney, former Austin Community College trustee

Candidates

 * Ben Sanders

Candidates

 * George P. Bush, incumbent Commissioner of the General Land Office
 * Davey Edwards, professional land surveyor
 * Jerry E. Patterson, former Commissioner of the General Land Office (2003–2015)
 * Rick Range, retired teacher and firefighter

Candidates

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

Candidates

 * Matt Piña

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

Candidates

 * Trey Blocker, lobbyist
 * Jim Hogan, Democratic nominee for Agriculture Commissioner in 2014
 * Sid Miller, incumbent Commissioner of Agriculture

Candidates

 * Kim Olson, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, former member of the Weatherford Independent School District Board of Trustees

Candidates

 * Richard Carpenter

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

Candidates

 * Christi Craddick, incumbent railroad commissioner
 * Weston Martinez, former Texas Real Estate Commissioner

Candidates

 * Roman McAllen, historic preservation officer
 * Chris Spellmon, businessman

Candidates

 * Mike Wright

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.

Candidates

 * Jimmy Blacklock, incumbent Associate Justice

Candidates

 * Steven Kirkland, Judge of the Harris County District Court (334th District)

Place 4
Incumbent Justice John Devine ran for re-election to a second 6-year term.

Candidates

 * John Devine, incumbent Associate Justice

Candidates

 * R.K. Sandill, Judge of the Harris County District Court (127th District)

Place 6
Incumbent Justice Jeff Brown ran for a full 8-year term after being elected to finish Chief Justice Nathan Hecht's term in 2014.

Candidates

 * Jeff Brown, incumbent Associate Justice

Candidates

 * Kathy Cheng, business litigator

Presiding Judge
Incumbent Presiding Judge Sharon Keller ran for re-election to a 5th 6-year term.

Candidates

 * David Bridges, incumbent Associate Justice of the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas
 * Sharon Keller, incumbent Presiding Judge

Candidates

 * Maria T. Jackson, Judge of the Harris County District Court (339th District)

Place 7
Incumbent Judge Barbara Hervey ran for re-election to a 4th 6-year term.

Candidates

 * Barbara Parker Hervey, incumbent Judge

Candidates

 * Ramona Franklin, Judge of the Harris County District Court (338th District)

Place 8
Incumbent Judge Elsa Alcala did not seek re-election to a 2nd term.

Candidates

 * Jay Brandon, Bexar County assistant district attorney
 * Michelle Slaughter, Judge of the Galveston County District Court (405th District)
 * Dib Waldrip, Judgen of the Comal County District Court (433rd District)

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.

Texas Senate
[[File:TxSen2018Election.svg|thumb|none|550px|Senate Districts and Results

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Texas House of Representatives
[[File:TxHouse2018Election1.svg|thumb|none|550px|House Districts and Results

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