Cornyn–Paxton Senate Runoff Set as Texas Primaries Reshape 2026 Races
Republican voters send marquee Senate contest to May while congressional and statewide races across Texas move toward runoffs and general-election matchups
Texas voters delivered a slate of competitive outcomes in Tuesday’s primary elections, headlined by a high-stakes Republican runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate.
Decision Desk HQ projected the May runoff after neither candidate secured a majority in the March 3 GOP primary. Rep. Wesley Hunt finished third with a double-digit share of the vote but later indicated he would not support Cornyn, adding another layer of uncertainty to the intraparty contest.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Jasmine Crockett left Congress to pursue her party’s Senate nomination, but early returns showed her trailing state Rep. James Talarico, according to The Dallas Express. After results began coming in, Crockett accused Republicans of election interference and departed her campaign’s watch party, according to The New York Post.
Several congressional races also appeared headed for runoffs or potential upsets. In Texas’ 2nd Congressional District, early results showed state Rep. Steve Toth leading incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw in the Republican primary. Crenshaw, who has represented the district since 2019, has faced growing controversy in recent years.
Statewide Contests Take Shape
Gov. Greg Abbott secured the Republican nomination for a fourth term and will face Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa in the general election.
In the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Mayes Middleton led with about 40% of the vote, positioning him for a likely runoff against Rep. Chip Roy unless he clears the majority threshold. Aaron Reitz and state Sen. Joan Huffman trailed far behind.
The race for agriculture commissioner remained close, with Nate Sheets leading incumbent Sid Miller by less than 10 percentage points. The GOP nominee will face Democrat Clayton Tucker in November.
Former state Sen. Don Huffines dominated the Republican primary for comptroller, finishing well ahead of incumbent Kelly Hancock. Huffines will go on to face Democratic nominee Sarah Eckhardt.
In the Republican primary for railroad commissioner, former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French narrowly led incumbent Jim Wright, sending the contest to a runoff. The winner will face Democrat Jon Rosenthal in the general election.
Legislative and Congressional Races
In House District 92, J.P. Woodruff captured the Republican nomination with nearly 68% of the vote and will face Democratic nominee Salman Bhojani. Keller Mayor Armin Mizani secured the GOP nomination in House District 98 and will take on Democrat Cate Brennan.
In Senate District 9, Republican Leigh Wambsganss is running unopposed for a rematch against Democrat Taylor Rehmet, who flipped the Tarrant County seat earlier this year.
In Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, Rep. Tony Gonzales led the Republican field but failed to win outright, forcing a runoff against Second Amendment activist Brandon Herrera. The winner will face Democratic nominee Katy Padilla Stout in November.
Gonzales’ campaign has been overshadowed by scandal following reports of an affair with a former staffer, Regina Ann Santos‑Aviles, who later died after reportedly setting herself on fire. Gonzales has accused the staffer’s husband of attempting to blackmail him.
In Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, early results showed Jace Yarbrough hovering around the 50% mark. If that margin holds, he would avoid a runoff and advance directly to the general election.