Trump's allies are plotting to fight back after Democrats seized Texas. Sign up to DC Insider to find out what they told us

Detailed summary

Texas was supposed to be Donald Trump's fortress: the biggest red state in America and the 40 electoral votes at the heart of every Republican path to the White House.

By ROSS IBBETSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR and PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 20:34 GMT, 11 November 2026 | Updated: 20:43 GMT, 11 November 2026

Texas was supposed to be Donald Trump's fortress: the biggest red state in America and the 40 electoral votes at the heart of every Republican path to the White House.

But the Democrats swept every statewide office last week, as Gina Hinojosa ousted three-term Governor Greg Abbott by seven points and Ken Paxton lost the Senate race by 12 to James Talarico.

Houston's mayor John Whitmire seized the moment within three days, signing an order barring city cops from flagging detainees to immigration agents - and called on other Texas cities to follow suit.

Now Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, is tasked with holding the line after replacing Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff.

This week's DC Insider hears exclusively from the Trump allies gearing up for the fight, and the Republicans who blame the White House for losing Texas.

The picture they paint suggests the battle for Texas has only just begun.

DC Insider is the Daily Mail's sharp, witty and well-connected guide to the people, plots and power plays shaping Washington.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Mail. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.