Reporting by Rich Matthews
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — Ten years ago, a Democratic election-night watch party in Collin County might have been one of the quietest places to spend election night. This time, the room was filled with cheers as statewide races were called and local voters watched a closely followed congressional contest unfold.
The Collin County Democratic watch party erupted when Gina Hinojosa was projected to defeat Governor Greg Abbott and James Talarico’s Senate race against Ken Paxton was called. One of the night’s loudest reactions came when Evan Hunt, the Democratic candidate for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District, arrived while election results showed him leading incumbent Keith Self.
Evan Hunt Makes a Competitive Run Against Keith Self
Hunt ultimately did not receive enough votes to defeat Self, but he won Collin County and made the race competitive in a district where Democrats have faced a long history of Republican victories.
Hunt said voters were responding to what he described as the effects of one-party rule in Texas and the country’s political direction.
“I think the state of Texas has been victims of one-party rule for far too long, nearly 30 years at the gubernatorial level,” Hunt said. “And then what do we have here in Texas’ 3rd District? Nearly 60 years of one-party rule.”
He added that voters were tired of what he called corruption and the Trump administration.
Voters Describe a Changing Political Climate
For some longtime Democratic voters, the atmosphere represented a noticeable change.
Deborah Angell-Smith recalled a time when Democrats in the area felt politically insignificant.
“Because when I first got involved, we were inconsequential,” she said. “People were afraid to tell their neighbors they were Democrats.”
The election-night gathering reflected a different level of visible political participation among the voters attending.
Concerns About Rhetoric Toward Minority Communities
Some voters also pointed to Republican rhetoric about minority communities, including Hindu and Muslim Americans, as a factor in their reactions to the election.
Dr. Rahman Mohammed, a voter and physician, said his work had always been guided by serving people regardless of their background.
“All through my life as a doctor, I served humanity, regardless of color, background, or anything,” Mohammed said. “For me, it’s just a human being. It’s just Americans.”
He described the negative rhetoric and messaging as unpleasant and said he believed voters had responded to it.
A Call for Common Ground After the Election
Despite the celebrations, not every voter wanted to see politics swing entirely in the opposite direction.
Matthew Foutch said he hoped newly elected Democrats would represent people across the political spectrum and work toward shared solutions.
“This area is packed with good people,” Foutch said. “So, I’m not looking for the pendulum to swing completely overwhelmingly on the other side. I want kind of a down the middle. Let’s find the common ground.”
As the votes were counted, the watch party offered a snapshot of changing political participation in Collin County, the challenges facing local candidates and voters’ expectations for those taking office.
This is the kind of coverage I love to hear. It rarely helps me see the story behind the headlines.
COMMON GROUND PLEASE