The primaries and runoffs are completed, and we have a full slate of candidates for the fall elections from both parties. While there were not many surprises, the margin of General Paxton’s win was probably larger than some might have expected. Senator Cornyn and the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee spent more than $100 million against General Paxton, but that did not seem to deter his supporters.
After entreaties from both sides, President Trump did finally endorse General Paxton about a week before Election Day. It certainly may have added a few points to the final numbers for General Paxton, but Senator Cornyn and the Senate Republican Campaign Committee clearly saw the writing on the wall well in advance of Election Day and spent every dollar possible to drive up General Paxton’s negatives, all to no avail.
Going forward, the biggest beneficiary of that large spend will be State Representative Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. While the negatives brought up by Senator Cornyn’s campaign did not seem to impact Republican primary voters, it remains to be seen how more moderate and independent voters respond to those same issues. Both campaigns should have sufficient resources to get their messages out, but Representative Talarico is clearly ahead in the messaging, thanks to Senator Cornyn’s efforts. Current polling, although obviously very early, has Talarico ahead but within the margin of error. We should expect a tightly contested and very bombastic few months between now and November.
Republicans should win the remainder of the statewide races. Most of the Democratic nominees will have minimal funds to get their names out, much less develop messaging that appeals to independent voters. Further down the ballot, in State Senate and State House races, it may be a different matter. These local races will be highly contested, and Democrats are expected to pick up several seats in the Texas House and perhaps hold on to the surprise Senate seat they recently won in a special election in Tarrant County.
While there may not be much of a structural change in the Senate, expect the Speaker to have a smaller margin in the House coming into the next session. All of this is subject to change based on what is happening at the federal and international levels, much of which has little to do with what happens in each of these regions specifically. However, if people are feeling the pinch or gas prices are high, they want to blame someone, and it is usually whomever is currently in office.
TWGGA leadership has spent the past several months meeting with the wine and grape-growing industry in Texas. Virtually every known group and organization devoted to wine and/or grape growing has had an opportunity to sit down and visit with TWGGA leadership to discuss the industry and how TWGGA can help them move forward. These meetings have been detail-oriented and productive and have produced a series of issues that our industry members are currently facing in Texas.
The upcoming legislative session, beginning in January 2027, will offer an opportunity to address some of these issues and concerns. While there are no guarantees in the Texas Legislature, these sessions only come every two years, so we have to attempt to take advantage of them when we can.
TWGGA leadership is currently considering all the recommendations that were collected during this outreach effort and will be consolidating and prioritizing these issues into a cohesive and workable list. While not every suggestion can be acted upon, TWGGA will develop a legislative agenda based on these recommendations.
Once that agenda is established, we will make the final list of recommendations available through the TWGGA website. As we move forward to 2027 and the upcoming session, there will be additional opportunities for our members to get involved with the process, contact and support both Texas House and Senate members, and discuss with these decision-makers what is happening within our industry and how they might help.
You are encouraged to get involved in helping support and eventually pass the TWGGA agenda. Take this important time between now and the election to contact your local House and Senate members and get involved in their local elections. They need your help now.
If you are unsure how to get involved, download the VineRoots program from the TWGGA website. It offers specific, step-by-step instructions on how to become more involved with your local elected officials. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact me or any TWGGA board member.
We are also planning a TWGGA legislative action day at the Capitol and Capitol wine tasting on the same day. More information will be available as we get closer to the legislative session, so stay tuned.
—TWGGA Legislative Advocate Kyle Frazier