DALLAS — Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn faces a challenging battle to secure his fifth term in Tuesday’s GOP primary, while Democratic voters will decide between Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico for their party’s nominee heading into November’s general election, where Democrats remain optimistic about their prospects.
Texas joins North Carolina and Arkansas in launching this year’s midterm primary season, with these contests occurring as the United States and Israel engage in warfare with Iran. The conflict, which erupted over the weekend, has resulted in the deaths of at least six American military personnel, escalated into a broader regional crisis following Iranian retaliation, and caused oil and natural gas prices to surge. President Donald Trump, who ran on an “America First” isolationist platform and initiated military action without Congressional approval, now confronts growing scrutiny about the war’s justification and exit plan.
Tuesday marks the conclusion of voting in North Carolina and Arkansas primaries that signal the beginning of the 2026 midterm cycle, as Democrats seek to break Republican control in Washington and obstruct Trump’s agenda.
In the Republican primary, Cornyn confronts opposition from MAGA-backed Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, and Rep. Wesley Hunt in a race anticipated to proceed to a May runoff between the leading vote recipients. All three GOP candidates have emphasized their connections to Trump, though the former president has not made an endorsement in this contest.
Both Crockett and Talarico contend they represent the superior general election option in a state where Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024 and where no Democrat has claimed statewide victory in more than three decades.
Voters will also select House candidates under newly drawn congressional district maps that Republican legislators — encouraged by Trump — redesigned to boost GOP representation.
Cornyn seeks to prevent becoming the first Texas Republican senator in history to lose renomination.
His strained relationship with Trump contributes to Cornyn’s vulnerability. He and supporting organizations have invested $64 million solely in television advertisements since July attempting to shore up his standing.
Paxton launched his serious campaign efforts just last month but has gained national attention through lawsuits targeting Democratic programs. He maintains popularity in Texas despite surviving a 2023 impeachment proceeding on corruption allegations, from which he was cleared, and facing accusations of extramarital affairs from his spouse.
Senate Republican leadership, which supports Cornyn, fears that Paxton’s potential weaknesses would force the party to spend heavily defending the seat if he becomes the nominee — resources that could be deployed more effectively elsewhere.
Paxton has aired advertisements highlighting endorsements from Turning Point USA, the organization established by late conservative leader Charlie Kirk, along with Kirk’s endorsement before his assassination in September.
Hunt’s October entry into the race complicated any candidate’s ability to reach the 50% threshold required to prevent a May 26 runoff.
All three Republican contenders have broadcast advertisements emphasizing their close relationships with Trump.
For Democrats, their first significant 2026 primary presents a choice between contrasting approaches as the party seeks its first Texas Senate victory since 1988.
Talarico, a seminary student who frequently cites Biblical references, has conducted rallies statewide including in strongly Republican territories. Crockett, who has developed national recognition for sharp critiques of Republicans, has concentrated on mobilizing Black voters in Dallas and Houston metropolitan areas.
Talarico had outspent Crockett on television advertising by more than four-to-one through late February. He received significant attention last month when CBS declined to broadcast his interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert. Colbert stated the network canceled the segment due to concerns about violating Trump’s FCC regulations. Talarico’s campaign reported raising $2.5 million within 24 hours after the interview — which aired online — was removed from television.
Texas Republicans’ unusual mid-decade redistricting aimed to help Trump’s party capture five Democratic-controlled seats to prevent losing House control. This created internal Democratic conflicts between incumbent members and established what are expected to be November’s most competitive races.
In the 34th District, former Rep. Mayra Flores seeks a political return. Flores created history in a 2022 special election as the first Republican to prevail in the Rio Grande Valley in 150 years, though she lost her full-term bid that same year. She competes against Eric Flores, a Trump-endorsed attorney, for the nomination to challenge Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez.
In the 23rd District, Rep. Tony Gonzales appears vulnerable after Republican colleagues demanded his resignation over an affair with a staff member who died by suicide. He faces gun manufacturer and YouTube personality Brandon Herrera, who identifies as “the AK guy.” This district encompasses Uvalde, location of the tragic 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting.
Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw encounters a challenge in the 2nd District from GOP state Rep. Steve Toth, who received Sen. Ted Cruz’s endorsement.
Former Major League Baseball player Mark Teixeira is campaigning in District 21, covering southwest Texas, for the position held by Republican Rep. Chip Roy, who is pursuing the state attorney general office. Teixeira, a Republican, played for four MLB franchises, including the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees during their 2009 World Series championship.
Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy recipient, is competing in South Texas’ 15th District against physician Ada Cuellar. The winner will face two-term Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz.
In the 33rd District, Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson confronts former Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker and 2024 Senate candidate. Johnson, serving her first term, faces vulnerability partly because Allred previously represented portions of this district, which spans the Dallas and Fort Worth regions. He also maintains a national fundraising apparatus from his Senate race.
Democratic Rep. Al Green is also battling to retain his position after his Houston-centered 9th District was redrawn to favor Republicans. Green, 78, now competes in a newly configured 18th District against Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, who won a January special election for the current 18th District. The new district incorporates two-thirds of Green’s former territory.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking reelection and likely faces Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa in the general election.
Four-term U.S. Rep. Chip Roy is pursuing the GOP nomination for state attorney general, with Paxton running for Senate. Roy has served as a prominent conservative Freedom Caucus member.
