2026 in Texas
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The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in the U.S. state of Texas.
Incumbents
State government
- Governor: Greg Abbott (R)
- Lieutenant Governor: Dan Patrick (R)
- Attorney General: Ken Paxton (R)
- Comptroller: Kelly Hancock (acting) (R)
- Land Commissioner: Dawn Buckingham (R)
- Agriculture Commissioner: Sid Miller (R)
- Railroad Commissioners: Christi Craddick (R), Wayne Christian (R), and Jim Wright (R)
Events
January
- January 3 – Cuban national Geraldo Lunas Campos dies while being restrained by immigration agents at Camp East Montana in El Paso. His death is ruled a homicide. A witness to his death says Lunas Campos repeatedly said "I can't breathe" in Spanish while he was restrained.[1]
- January 21 – Former Uvalde CISD Police officer Adrian Gonzales is acquitted of child abandonment and endangerment for his part in the response to the Robb Elementary School shooting that killed 19 in 2022. Gonzales was accused of abandoning his training and not confronting the gunman before he entered the school.[2]
- January 24–27 – January 2026 North American winter storm: 6 people die across Texas due to snowstorms, including three young brothers who fall through an ice pond in Bonham.[3]
- January 28 – Charles Victor Thompson is executed at the Huntsville Unit state prison for the murder of his former girlfriend and her new boyfriend in 1998. He is the first person to be executed in the U.S. in 2026.[4]
- January 31
- In an upset, Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a special election in the Texas Senate District 9 special election, beating Leigh Wambsganss with 57.2% of the vote. The district had favored President Trump by 17 points in the 2024 presidential election.[5]
- 2025–26 Texas's 18th congressional district special election: Former Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee wins the special election run-off for the seat held by Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025. Menefee beat former Houston City Councilmember Amanda Edwards.[6]
February
- February 10–11 – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly closes the airspace above El Paso International Airport. Though the restrictions are initially announced to last until February 20, they are lifted the morning of February 11. It is later announced that the shutdown occurred after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) used an anti-drone laser to shoot down what turned out to be party balloons.[7][8]
- February 21 – 25-year-old Joshua Orta dies in a car crash in San Antonio. Orta witnessed the ICE killing of his friend, American citizen Ruben Ray Martinez, on South Padre Island in March 2025. ICE's involvement in Martinez's killing had been disclosed to the public a week prior to Orta's death.[9]
- February 26 – A Department of Defense anti-drone laser system shoots down a CBP drone near Fort Hancock.[10]
- February 28 – Four people are killed and two are injured in a shooting in Edinburg. The Hidalgo County Sheriff says the shooting is connected to a road rage incident and dispute between neighbors.[11]
March
- March 1 – A gunman kills three people and injures 15 outside a bar in Downtown Austin before being killed by police.[12]
- March 3
- Camp East Montana is closed to visitors due to a measles outbreak.[13]
- Primary Elections for various races in Texas are held.[14]
- U.S. Senate Election in Texas: State Representative James Talarico wins the Democratic primary, beating incumbent U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett.[15]
- U.S. House Election, Texas District 2: State Representative Steve Toth wins the Republican primary, beating incumbent U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw.[16]
- March 5 – U.S. House Election, Texas District 23: Incumbent U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales drops out of his re-election campaign, following his admission that he had an affair with an aide who committed suicide by self-immolation. Brandon Herrera, a YouTuber and gun manufacturer, presumptively becomes the Republican nominee.[17]
- March 5–17 – The 2026 World Baseball Classic is held at several locations, including Daikin Park in Houston.[18]
Scheduled events
- March 25–28 – The 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference will be held at the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.[19]
- May – Universal Kids Resort will open in Frisco, Texas.
- May 16 – Nordstrom will close permanently at the Galleria Dallas.
See also
References
- ^ Abbott, Jeff; Martinez, Aaron (January 15, 2026). "Report: Cuban immigrant's death at Camp East Montana likely 'homicide'". El Paso Times. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Gonzalez, Valerie; Vertuno, Jim (January 21, 2026). "Jury acquits ex-officer of charges he failed his duty to confront gunman in Texas school shooting". The Associated Press. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ Cortez, Julio; Stengle, Jamie (January 27, 2026). "3 young brothers in Texas die after falling through icy pond during winter storm". The Associated Press. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
- ^ "Texas man convicted of 2 fatal shootings becomes the 1st person executed in the US this year". ABC 7. January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ^ Mueller, Julia (February 1, 2026). "Democrats flip Texas state Senate seat in shock upset". The Hill. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- ^ English, Molly (February 1, 2026). "Democrat Christian Menefee wins special US House runoff in Texas, shrinking GOP majority even further". CNN. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- ^ Lubold, Gordon; Kube, Courtney; De Luce, Dan; Gains, Mosheh (February 12, 2026). "CBP shot down party balloons with anti-drone tech before FAA closed El Paso airspace, sources say". NBC News. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ Ray, Siladitya (February 11, 2026). "FAA Suddenly Reopens El Paso Airspace After 'Cartel Drone Incursion,' Transportation Secretary Says". Forbes. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ Biesecker, Michael; Bedayn, Jesse (February 23, 2026). "Witness who saw friend fatally shot by immigration agent in Texas last year dies in car accident". The Associated Press. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
- ^ Gains, Mosheh; Helsel, Phil (February 27, 2026). "U.S. military reportedly used a laser to shoot down Customs and Border Protection drone, sparking new air closure". NBC News. The Associated Press. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ Garcia, Claudia (March 1, 2026). "Neighbor dispute leads to deadly shooting in rural Edinburg". KRGV. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
- ^ Cobler, Nicole (March 1, 2026). "3 dead, 14 injured in Austin mass shooting". Axios. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
- ^ "A large immigration detention camp in Texas is closed to visitors amid measles outbreak". The Associated Press. March 3, 2026. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ "Texas Senate Primary Results 2026". NBC News. March 3, 2026. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
- ^ Crampton, Liz (March 4, 2026). "Talarico defeats Crockett in Texas Senate Democratic primary". Politico. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
- ^ John, Arit; English, Molly (March 4, 2026). "Texas Rep. Steve Toth will defeat GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw in primary upset". CNN. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
- ^ Coronell Uribe, Raquel (March 5, 2026). "Rep. Tony Gonzales drops re-election bid amid ethics probe into his affair with a staffer". NBC News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Reineking, Jim (March 5, 2026). "World Baseball Classic 2026 host stadiums and cities for every game". USA Today. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ Hazard, Charlotte (March 10, 2026). "CPAC announces 2026 speakers including Nick Shirley, Ken Paxton, Ted Cruz". KTUL. Retrieved March 11, 2026.