Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday won the state of Texas, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a projection by The Associated Press.
The result was expected. Trump and Harris did not consistently campaign in Texas, a state that hasn’t picked a Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter won it in 1976.
Both candidates had significant Texas moments.
In early 2023 Trump kicked off his presidential campaign with a huge rally in Waco. And last month Harris staged a mega-rally at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston that attracted over 30,000 people. The star-powered event featured music icons Beyoncé and Willie Nelson.
Texas’ leading Republicans on Tuesday were quick to acknowledge Trump’s Texas triumph.
“Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his overwhelming victory in Texas,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement. “Texans know who will slash inflation, secure our southern border, unleash American energy, and crack down on violent crime—and that’s Donald Trump. Texans rejected Kamala Harris’ radical leftist agenda and voted to restore freedom, prosperity, and opportunity for all Americans.”
Trump has now won Texas in all three of his presidential bids. In 2020 he beat President Joe Biden by 5.6 percentage points.
Early Tuesday night Trump had a large lead over Harris, 58-40 percent as of 8:15 p.m.
Trump’s win paced Texas Republicans up and down the ballot. The GOP is expected to retain control of the state House and Senate.
The former president collected 40 Electoral College votes from Texas, one of the biggest prizes in the presidential sweepstakes.
