After viral Talarico-Hinojosa Whataburger visit, customers react to historic 2026 midterm results

A viral photo of Democrats James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa celebrating their historic Election Day victories at a Whataburger in Austin on Tuesday has generated plenty of buzz across Texas.

Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race, while Hinojosa unseated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, becoming Texas’ first Democratic governor in more than three decades.

Alcides Dreumont, 87, said “We were due for a change,” and expressed optimism.

“Well, it’s looking up, it really is,” he said. “Every so often you need to wash the dishes, and this is one of those.”

For Nicholas Wells, a 25-year-old father of two, the election results brought relief.

“It’s like a weight lifted up off our shoulders,” Wells said. “Honestly, especially for everybody to go blue. It’s a big change.”

But beyond politics, voters said the economy remains a major concern.

“You can’t even go into the store and get a full grocery cart full of food and everything being less than $200,” Wells said.

San Antonio voter Jaime Padilla agreed.

“Well, the biggest issue for me, there was the economy,” Padilla said.

Padilla also expressed surprise at the election results, particularly Hinojosa’s victory.

While Tuesday’s election marked a dramatic shift in Texas politics, voters said affordability and the direction of the country remain top priorities.

And for some, the results offered renewed hope for change.

Read also:

• What happened in the Nov. 3, 2026, historic midterm election in Texas
• Talarico and Hinojosa celebrate historic Texas wins with a Whataburger toast
• Texas Democrats rode a ‘blue-nami’ to power. What now?