Eckhardt Leads Huffines in Texas Comptroller Race
Early voting results show Democrat Sarah Eckhardt with more than half of the vote over Republican Don Huffines after Trump endorsed Huffines on X.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Sarah Eckhardt held an early edge over Don Huffines in the Texas comptroller race, capturing more than half of the early vote in the 10-day early voting period. Donald Trump endorsed Huffines for comptroller on X on Tuesday afternoon.
Why it matters
The comptroller oversees an agency with close to 3,000 employees that collects taxes and helps manage state finances, so the outcome shapes state fiscal administration in Texas. An Eckhardt victory would make her the first Democrat elected comptroller since 1994.
Eckhardt captured more than half of the early vote, while the comptroller serves a four-year term. Final results depend on votes cast after early voting, which are not yet reported.
The players
Sarah Eckhardt
Sarah Eckhardt is a Texas Democrat from Austin running for state comptroller, who has argued that Texas already ranks among the lowest-spending states.
Don Huffines
Don Huffines is a former Texas state senator from Dallas who was appointed comptroller by Gov. Greg Abbott and is now running for the office.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States who endorsed Huffines on X and called him a "MAGA Warrior."
The details
Huffines, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in August, has fired dozens of agency employees and promised to root out wasteful spending. Eckhardt challenged his pledge to shrink state government, saying Texas already ranks among the lowest-spending states.
Timeline
- August: Abbott appointed Huffines as comptroller.
- Since 2025: The agency has administered the education savings account program.
- November 3, 2026: Early voting results were posted after polls closed at 7 p.m.
Political Context
If Eckhardt wins, she would become the first Democrat elected comptroller since 1994, ending a long stretch of Republican control of the office. Eckhardt's critique of Huffines' pledge to shrink government centers the debate on whether Texas spends too much.
The comptroller's office manages state tax collection and the education savings account program, so the winner will directly control how Texas taxes are collected and how that program is run. Texans voting in the comptroller race will decide who oversees these state finances over the next four years.
The takeaway
The comptroller race is a test of whether Texas voters favor deeper spending cuts or a continued focus on state services. Watching final results will show whether early voting trends hold.
Further reading
For more on the candidates and the contest, see Elections coverage for Texas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Dallas Morning News.
Live Poll
Should Texas state government be shrunk, or kept at its current spending level?
