Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Nov. 6, 2026

Posted on: 11/6/2026

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The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community.

TURNOUT: Tuesday’s election brought about new opportunities and new challenges as we head into the 90th Texas Legislative Session. Educators must keep showing up to ensure their priorities are addressed. Over the next few weeks, we encourage you to start a conversation with your newly elected or reelected representatives and senators so they know what issues matter most to you. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave has more in this blog post.

ELECTION RESULTS: Democrats swept all statewide offices and flipped the Texas House in Tuesday’s historic election. Some races are still too close to call, but here are a few key takeaways from this week:

  • Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D–Austin) defeated Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to become the first Democratic governor since the late Ann Richards.
  • Rep. James Talarico (D–Austin) defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) to become the first Democratic U.S. senator to represent Texas since 1988.
  • Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D–Austin) defeated Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and will become the first Democratic lieutenant governor in 27 years.
  • Democrats swept the remaining statewide seats, including attorney general, railroad commissioner, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, and the four contested seats on the Texas Supreme Court.
  • It is not currently clear what the final numbers in the House will be, but if current numbers hold, it would be 84 Democrats to 66 Republicans. 
  • The State Board of Education (SBOE) had eight seats up for reelection, one of which is still too close to call as of Friday, Nov. 6.

In this blog post, ATPE breaks down the results and what they mean for Texas public education. 

HOUSE SPEAKER: Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D–Houston) announced Friday that she has obtained enough votes to become the next Speaker of the Texas House. Rep. Thompson is currently a co-Dean of the House, along with Rep. Tom Craddick; together they are the longest tenured House members. Thompson was first elected to her seat in 1972. She is well-liked on both sides of the aisle and brings five decades of experience to her new role. Learn more about the new Speaker in this blog post by ATPE lobbyist Tricia Cave.

RAC: Do you know a retired teacher who wants to make a difference for Texas educators? The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) is accepting nominations for an open position on the TRS-Care Retirees Advisory Committee (RAC). You can also nominate yourself. For more details about the RAC, the nomination process and qualifications, visit the TRS website.


MEMBER ADVOCACY: As we gear up for the next legislative session, we urge you to stay informed and engaged. Here are a few advocacy resources to check out:  

  • ATPE Mobile App: Check out the new ATPE Mobile App to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools.   
  • Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.   
  • Judy: Chat with ATPE’s AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed.    
  • ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn state-level and local-level advocacy microcredentials, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so be sure to check it out today.     
  • The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community.   

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