Todd Tarble waves a U.S. flag while gathering with others in front of the Texas Capitol to celebrate the Democratic wave in the midterm elections on Nov. 3, 2026.

The crowd included LGBTQ+ Texans like Alma Zamora, who called the victories "incredible." Credit: Texas Tribune / Eli Hartman As election night results rolled in, Joelle Espeut felt "unbridled joy" as Democrats surged to victory across Texas.

Espeut, a transgender woman and advocacy director for the Normal Anomaly Initiative, understood the election represented a pivotal transformation on two fronts: a reprieve from legislation aimed at restricting LGBTQ+ Texans, and a sign that voters were finally "tired of the hate." Sign up "It's been pretty grim in Texas the last several years," she said.