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This is how I can tell the Houston Chronicle editorial board did a bang-up job with our endorsements for the 2026 primaries — even the candidates we didn't endorse are sharing them.
That's because the editorial board aspires to write endorsements in a way that provides voters with the information they need to make a smart choice, whether they agree with our conclusion or not. Consider our endorsement in the Republican primary for Texas attorney general. We explained that, for us, Aaron Reitz's view that Democrats were not just political opponents but a national enemy was a chilling vision that undermines the very nature of our republican system as articulated in Federalist No. 10. Yet for many GOP voters, that writeup was, as Reitz himself put it, a "Valentine's Day love note."
Even if you don't agree with our endorsements, they're useful reads for any voter.
And now is the time for you to go vote if you want your vote to actually matter.
Tuesday marked the first day of early voting for the 2026 party primaries. These are the elections when Republicans and Democrats decide who their candidates will be for the November general elections.
In practice, though, once the primaries are over, the outcomes of the general elections are often a foregone conclusion. Mark Jones and Michael O. Adams explain why in their op-ed:
"Because of a combination of partisan gerrymandering and partisan geography, the winners of the Republican primaries have been virtual locks to win in November at the state level and in most rural and suburban districts. In many urban districts, however, Democrats more often than not win in the general election."
Yes, congressional and Legislative seats are gerrymandered. But what about the elections that aren't? You can bet that Harris County's countywide seats will probably go for Democrats, and statewide seats will probably go for Republicans. That could change, of course. President Trump's approval rating is hitting record lows, dragging the rest of the MAGA crowd along with him. The right Democratic candidates will likely have the electoral wind at their backs in November, turning those elections into a real competition.
But for the rest of the seats, this is the election of consequence. And it is critical that voters pay attention and support candidates who are qualified to do the job — especially in the down-ballot judicial races where we've seen qualified incumbents swept out by underwhelming challengers in low turnout affairs. So please read our endorsements and take our list along when you go vote, whether for Democrats or Republicans.
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