Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hugs his wife, Cecilia Abbott, and daughter, Audrey Abbott, after conceding to Gina Hinajosa at his election night watch party at Speakeasy in Austin on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune

Hard to overstate how stunning tonight’s results are. Within seconds, Greg Abbott concedes to Gina Hinojosa for governor and James Talarico is declared winner in the U.S. Senate race. It will take time to fully understand the impact on governing in Texas and politics in America. But suffice to say that a lot will change with a legislative session a couple months away. Meantime, all eyes turn to whether Democrats can flip the Texas House — a possibility that seemed unimaginable just a few hours ago.

Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. He is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended Texas A&M University and has spent his entire...