Grading Texas

Quorum Report now reporting that as many as 22 incumbent Democratic members of the Texas House may be washed out of office by the time all the counting is done.

Among the Democratic losses in today’s Republican surge was state Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, leader of the House Democratic Caucus and a strong supporter of the public schools and teachers. According to final, but unofficial returns, he lost by a margin of about 52 percent to 46 percent to GOP challenger Marva Beck.

Until a few days ago, Dunnam wasn’t even considered endangered.

Despite strong Republican gains in the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate was expected to keep its Democratic majority, although Republicans picked up three seats previously held by Ds in Indiana, Arkansas and North Dakota. That still leaves Republicans seven seats short of capturing a majority.

Still waiting word from Nevada, where Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid faced a strong challenge from Republican Sharron Angle, a Tea Party favorite. Maybe Nevada voters (or at least most of them) will be as discerning as their counterparts in Delaware, who showed Tea Partier O’Donnell the door.

Here are some of the Democratic incumbent members of the Texas House who are losing, so far, in incomplete and unofficial returns: Jim Dunnam, Stephen Frost, Mark Homer, Jim McReynolds, Solomon Ortiz III, Abel Herrero, Patrick Rose, Valinda Bolton, Diana Maldonado, Joe Heflin, Carol Kent, Allen Vaught, Kristi Thibaut and Ellen Cohen.

There may be more, all struggling against a very strong Republican tsunami.