Voters in Texas, Florida and Rhode Island weigh in on 2026 midterm results, citing prices

Democrats captured majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, WESH 2 reported, calling it one of the party's biggest wave victories in decades. Voters who spoke with local outlets in several states said the cost of living was a top concern.

In Texas, KSAT reported that Democrat James Talarico won the U.S. Senate contest over Republican Ken Paxton. Democrat Gina Hinojosa ousted Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the station said, making her the first Democrat to win the governorship in more than 30 years. Republicans held on to their majority in the Texas Senate, according to KSAT.

A picture showing Talarico and Hinojosa marking their wins at an Austin Whataburger spread widely online, KSAT reported. San Antonio residents interviewed by the station called the results a major change. Nicholas Wells, a father of two, told KSAT, "It's like a weight lifted up off our shoulders," though he added that grocery costs are still hard on his household.

Florida remained mostly in Republican hands, according to WESH 2. Republican Byron Donalds was elected governor and will be the first Black person to hold the office in the state. Republicans also kept every Cabinet post and the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot, but they no longer have a supermajority in the Legislature.

State Rep. Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a Democrat from Orlando, told WESH 2 that Democrats picked up 16 state House seats plus a single state Senate seat. The station reported the party's count rose from 34 seats to 50. In House District 35, spanning sections of Orange and Osceola counties, Democratic challenger Eric Gray beat Republican incumbent Erika Booth, taking roughly 56% of ballots cast, WESH 2 said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the outcome "as close to an extinction-level event for Republicans in many parts of the country as we have seen," WESH 2 reported. Vilchez Santiago said many voters were signaling disapproval of the Trump administration, the economy and policies from the state capital, and he predicted a similar result two years from now.

In Rhode Island's race for governor, Helena Foulkes won in most cities and towns, according to WJAR NBC 10. Independent Ken Block led the field in Foster, Glocester and Scituate, communities Donald Trump carried in 2024, the station reported. Both Block and Foulkes ran ahead of candidate Guckian in those towns, WJAR said. One Glocester resident told the station that people there could only hope for improvement and lower prices.

Voters across these interviews, regardless of their politics, named affordability and the economy as their chief worries going forward.

Compiled by True News from reporting by KSAT, WESH 2, WJAR NBC 10 and Texas Public Radio. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/779