Maggie Ellis Wins Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Race

Democrat Maggie Ellis won the election for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, defeating Republican incumbent Jimmy Blacklock. Ellis is the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to lead the state's highest civil court. Her victory was part of a broader Democratic surge in Texas that saw the party win the governorship, the attorney general's office, and control of the Texas House of Representatives, ending 30 years of single-party Republican rule across all branches of state government.

Along with Ellis, Democratic candidates Charli Kelly, Kristen Hawkins, and Gisela D. Triana won seats on the nine-member bench. While one source indicates these wins created a female majority and ended Republican control of the court, another reports that Republicans will maintain a slim 5-4 majority.

As Chief Justice, Ellis intends to revisit court orders regarding same-sex marriage and collaborate with state leaders to expand access to justice and increase funding for indigent defense. She stated that she wants every child in the state to know that no door is closed to them because of who they are, where they come from, or who they love.