Convenience Big Store: Big GOP suburbs in Texas turn out for Trump

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Another Texas win for Trump

While Texas has become more competitive, former President Donald Trump proved the Lone Star State is still solidly red.

Trump jumped out to an early lead over Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday night and was outperforming U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in most of the state. While Trump was losing places like Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, he was pilling up big victory margins in suburban GOP counties like Montgomery, Collin and Denton to balance off those losses.

"Texans rejected Kamala Harris' radical leftist agenda and voted to restore freedom, prosperity, and opportunity for all Americans," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said moments after the Associated Press called Texas for Trump.

Trump had shown some weakness in Texas over the years. While Mitt Romney won the state by 16 percent points, Trump won by just 9 percent in 2016. In 2020, that fell to just 5.6 percentage points.

But Trump has been a constant in Texas, making more than 14 stops in the state since he left the White House in 2021. He kicked off this year's race for the White House in Waco in 2023 and was just in Austin two weeks ago.

Harris made the unusual move of holding a rally in Houston two weeks ago with celebrities like Beyonce and Jessica Alba trying to boost voter turnout and use the state's abortion laws as the backdrop to a national message to win voters in swing states.

Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter

jeremy.wallace@houstonchronicle.com

Who's up, who's down

Up: Ted Cruz.

The Republican declared victory for a third term in the U.S. Senate. Cruz ran up huge numbers in key GOP suburban counties like Montgomery, Comal, Collin and Parker to balance off Democrat Colin Allred's advantage in big urban counties.

Down: Colin Allred.

His path to victory needed huge turnout in places like Harris County and his home county of Dallas. He didn't get it. While he was on his way to winning counties, in both cases he was on pace to fall short of the numbers Democrat Beto O'Rourke posted in 2018 against Cruz.

What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.

What else is going on in Texas

U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (left), a Democrat, is facing off against Republican challenger Caroline Kane in the 7th Congressional District.

Photo by: Jon Shapley (Fletcher) / Karren Warren (Kane), Staff Photographer

Houston U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher wins reelection

U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher won reelection in House District 7 against her Republican challenger, Caroline Kane.

Democratic candidate for Texas state representative of District 121 Laurel Jordan Swift embraces a supporter at her election watch party at Stone Werks in Lincoln Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Photo by: Clint Datchuk

Marc LaHood holds slim lead over Laurel Jordan Swift in Texas House race

The North San Antonio district has traditionally been held by moderate Republicans, including former House Speaker Joe Straus.

State Rep. John Lujan waves as he arrives at his campaign watch party held at Mission Open Air Market on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.

Photo by: Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News

John Lujan up slightly over Kristian Carranza in San Antonio House race

The race has been among the most closely watched across the state throughout this election cycle, with the candidates clashing over a number of issues, including school vouchers and abortion.

U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw talks about the negative impact President Joe Biden's energy policies a during press conferenceTuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, at Houston Ship Channel in Houston. Mmbers of the Republican Houston delegation participated the roundtable with Texas oil and gas workers.

Photo by: Yi-Chin Lee/Staff Photographer

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw defeats Democratic challenger Peter Filler

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw won reelection in House District 2, defeating Democratic challenger Peter Filler on his way to a fourth term in Congress.

Sheriff candidate Mike Knox, left, and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez meet with the Editorial Board at the Houston Chronicle offices on September 5, 2024.

Photo by: Sharon Steinmann

Ed Gonzalez holds early lead over Mike Knox in Harris County Sheriff race

Gonzalez would be Harris County's first three-term sheriff in nearly 20 years. Knox is seeking to become the first Republican in just as long a time.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton arrives with former President Donald Trump at Manhattan criminal court before Trump's trial in New York, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP)

Photo by: Justin Lane, Associated Press

Ken Paxton absent from attorneys general calling for peaceful power transition

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is notably absent from a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general who called for a peaceful transfer of power.

Photo by: Houston Chronicle

As votes continue to be tallied around the state and the nation, we have you covered. Be sure to check out all the latest election results at the Houston Chronicle here and at the San Antonio Express-News here.

What else I'm reading

About 2.9 million Americans who live outside the United States were expected to participate in Tuesday's election, according to Vote From Abroad, a group that works with the U.S. government to assist Americans living outside the country. The Border Report says the biggest participants are Americans in these four countries: Canada, Great Britain, France and Mexico.