Such was the case with the marquee Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. Allred’s nearly 9-point loss to Cruz was disappointing for Democrats hoping the Dallas congressman would give the party its first statewide win in 30 years.

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer from Dallas, repeatedly broke fundraising records in his campaign, raising more than $80 million by mid-October.

In keeping his seat, he dashed rising hopes among some Democrats that years of demographic changes and urbanization could start to flip the state.