Democrats Win Seats on Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals

Democratic candidates won all 10 statewide judicial races on Tuesday’s ballot, according to unofficial returns from the Secretary of State. They took four seats on the Texas Supreme Court, the three seats up on the Court of Criminal Appeals and every seat on the 15th Court of Appeals. A Democrat last won a seat on either of the state’s two highest courts in 1994, according to the Texas Tribune. Both courts have nine members elected statewide to staggered six-year terms, and before Tuesday, every member of both courts was a Republican.

The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court for civil cases, and four of its nine seats were on the ballot. Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock, who has led the court since January 2025, lost to Maggie Ellis, a justice on the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin, 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent. Chari Kelly, also of the 3rd Court of Appeals, defeated Justice James Sullivan for the Place 2 seat, 52.3 percent to 47.7 percent. Gov. Greg Abbott had appointed Sullivan to the court in 2025. In Place 7, Harris County district judge Kristen Hawkins defeated Justice Kyle Hawkins, whom Abbott appointed in October, 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent, and Justice Brett Busby, a member of the court since 2019, lost Place 8 to Gisela Triana of the 3rd Court of Appeals, 52.0 percent to 48.0 percent. Republicans will keep a 5 to 4 majority on the court.

On the Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s highest court for criminal cases, Republicans will keep a 6 to 3 majority. The court hears death penalty appeals directly from trial courts. Dallas County criminal district judge Audra Riley unseated Judge Kevin Yeary, first elected in 2014, in Place 4. Two seats had no incumbent on the ballot. Criminal defense attorney Okey Anyiam won Place 3 over Thomas Smith, an assistant attorney general, and appeals attorney Holly Taylor won Place 9 over John Messinger, an assistant state prosecuting attorney.

On the 15th Court of Appeals, all three incumbents lost. The Legislature created the court in 2023 to hear civil cases involving the state, appeals from the new business courts and challenges to the constitutionality of state laws, and its justices are elected statewide. Abbott appointed all three when the court opened in 2024, and Tuesday was their first general election. Former 14th Court of Appeals justice Jerry Zimmerer defeated Chief Justice Scott Brister, former 3rd Court of Appeals justice Tom Baker defeated Justice Scott Field, and attorney Marc Meyer defeated Justice April Farris.

Statewide, the 10 winners carried between 50.0 and 52.8 percent of the vote, with margins from about 237,000 to 539,000 votes. The returns are unofficial until the state canvass, which runs from November 21 to December 7.