Abbott Sets May 2 Special Election for Texas Senate District 4

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a May 2, 2026 special election for Texas Senate District 4 to fill a vacancy in the Republican-controlled chamber. The district, located in East Texas, had been held by a Republican, and the special election was expected to maintain the partisan balance of the Texas Senate. Abbott's authority to set special election dates unilaterally under Texas law illustrates how gubernatorial power shapes legislative composition outside the normal election cycle.