2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the 38 members of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Texas, one from each of the state's congressional districts. The elections coincided with other statewide races, including for Governor of Texas and the United States Senate. Following the 2020 United States census, Texas gained two new congressional seats, which were both won by Republicans, increasing their majority in the state's delegation.

Background

The elections were conducted under new congressional maps drawn by the Texas Legislature following the 2020 United States census. The redistricting process, overseen by Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Republican Party, was subject to legal challenges alleging it diluted the voting power of minority communities, particularly Hispanic and Latino Americans in areas like the Rio Grande Valley. The political climate was heavily influenced by national issues, including the presidency of Joe Biden, economic concerns like inflation, and the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. At the top of the ticket, Governor Abbott faced Democrat Beto O'Rourke.

Election results

Republicans maintained firm control of the United States House of Representatives delegation from Texas, winning 25 of the 38 seats. Democrats held 13 seats, with no net change from the previous delegation's partisan split prior to the addition of the two new districts. Statewide, Republican candidates for the House received approximately 56.8% of the aggregate vote, compared to 42.7% for Democratic candidates. Notable victories included Republican Monica De La Cruz flipping the 15th district, a longtime Democratic-held seat in the Rio Grande Valley. All other incumbent members of Congress, including prominent figures like Dan Crenshaw and Sheila Jackson Lee, won re-election.

District-by-district analysis

The two new districts, 37th and 38th, located in the Austin and Houston metropolitan areas respectively, were both won comfortably by Republicans Wesley Hunt and Luis Ruiz. In a major upset, Republican Monica De La Cruz defeated Democrat Michelle Vallejo in the 15th district, a seat previously held by Democrat Vicente Gonzalez, who successfully ran in the neighboring 34th district. Competitive races also occurred in the 28th district, where Democrat Henry Cuellar narrowly survived a challenge from Republican Cassandra Garcia, and in the 3rd district where Republican Keith Self succeeded retiring representative Van Taylor.

Key issues and campaigns

Campaigns focused heavily on nationalized themes. Republicans emphasized border security, citing record encounters at the Mexico–United States border under the Biden administration, and economic criticism targeting inflation and energy policy. Democrats campaigned on protecting Social Security and Medicare, codifying Roe v. Wade following the Dobbs decision, and safeguarding democracy. Significant national funding flowed into targeted districts like the 15th and 28th. The campaign of Democrat Beto O'Rourke for governor, while unsuccessful, was credited with boosting Democratic turnout in several key House races, helping incumbents like Colin Allred and Lizzie Fletcher secure re-election.

Aftermath and impact

The results solidified Republican dominance in the Texas congressional delegation and contributed to the party winning a narrow majority in the United States House of Representatives nationally. The flipping of the 15th district signaled a continuing rightward shift in the Rio Grande Valley, a historically Democratic region. The election outcomes prompted ongoing legal challenges to the state's congressional maps from groups like the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The delegation's new members, including Monica De La Cruz and Wesley Hunt, assumed roles in the 118th United States Congress, with Chip Roy and Michael McCaul gaining influential committee positions.

Texas 2022 Category:2022 Texas elections