State Consultant James Talarico, a Democrat from Texas and US Senate candidate, speaks throughout a Texas main election night time occasion at Emo’s Austin in Austin, Texas, US, early on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Jordan Vonderhaar | Bloomberg | Getty Photos
State Rep. James Talarico topped Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in an costly and fiercely contested Texas Senate Democratic main that after once more has the social gathering dreaming of a giant upset in November.
Who Talarico will face depends upon a Might runoff between longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn and MAGA favourite Ken Paxton — a race anticipated to get more and more nasty over coming months and will hinge on whether or not or not President Donald Trump gives an endorsement.
Texas, together with North Carolina and Arkansas, on Tuesday kicked off midterm elections with management of Congress at stake and in opposition to the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli struggle with Iran.
No Democrat has received a statewide race within the reliably Republican state in over 30 years, however in a press release after his victory, Talarico proclaimed “We’re about to take again Texas.”
Crockett’s marketing campaign mentioned she deliberate to sue over voting points in Dallas and he or she spoke solely briefly on Tuesday night time to warn that “individuals have been disenfranchised.”
Republicans head to spherical 2
Cornyn, in the meantime, is in search of a fifth time period however is going through a troublesome problem from Paxton, the state lawyer normal. Cornyn hopes to keep away from turning into the primary Republican senator in Texas historical past to hunt reelection and never be renominated.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) speaks at a marketing campaign rally on February 28, 2026 in The Woodlands, Texas.
Danielle Villasana | Getty Photos
The GOP contest additionally featured U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, who completed a distant third and conceded. However him making it a three-way race made it more durable for any candidate to succeed in the 50% vote threshold wanted to win the nomination outright and keep away from the Might 26 runoff.
All three campaigned on their ties to Trump, who didn’t make an endorsement within the race. Now each Cornyn and Paxton will once more fiercely compete to curry the president’s favor.
Cornyn was going through a troublesome sufficient battle that he did not maintain an election night time social gathering. As a substitute, in feedback to reporters in Austin, he sought to make the case {that a} runoff win by Paxton would depart “a useless weight on the high of the ticket for Republicans.”
“I’ve labored for many years to construct the Republican Get together, each right here in Texas and nationally,” Cornyn mentioned. “I refuse to permit a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton to threat every thing we have labored so exhausting to construct over these a few years.”
Addressing supporters in Dallas, Paxton made some extent of claiming he felt like he had throughout a current journey to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida property. He additionally proclaimed: “We proved one thing they will by no means perceive in Washington.”
“Texas just isn’t on the market,” he mentioned.
Cornyn’s cool relationship with Trump is a part of what made him susceptible. He and allied teams spent at the very least $64 million in tv promoting alone since July to attempt stabilize his help.
Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton campaigns as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate at an occasion on February 28, 2026 in Fort Price, Texas.
Richard Rodriguez | Getty Photos
Paxton, who started campaigning in earnest solely final month, has made nationwide headlines for submitting lawsuits in opposition to Democratic initiatives. He remained widespread in Texas regardless of a 2023 impeachment trial on corruption prices, of which he was acquitted, and accusations of marital infidelity by his spouse.
Senate GOP leaders, who’re backing Cornyn, fear that Paxton’s liabilities would make it more durable to defend the seat if he’s the nominee — and require important spending that might be higher used elsewhere.
Confusion at some polling locations
Within the Democratic marketing campaign, Crockett and Talarico every argued that they’d be the stronger normal election candidate in a state that backed Trump by virtually 14 proportion factors in 2024.
Voting was prolonged in Dallas County and Williamson County, exterior Austin, after voters reported being turned away and directed to completely different voting precincts due to new main guidelines. Paxton’s workplace later challenged a call preserving the polls open longer, and the state Supreme Courtroom dominated that ballots solid by individuals not in line by 7 p.m. needs to be separated from others.
It was not instantly clear how the court docket’s motion could be carried out or what number of eligible ballots remained to be counted in Dallas County, Crockett’s dwelling base. Crockett mentioned she would search authorized motion after voting was concluded.
And in Harris County, which incorporates Houston, a spokesperson mentioned that as of 10 p.m. there have been nonetheless voters at 20 facilities.
Democratic race featured conflict of types
Crockett and Talarico waged a spirited race as Democrats search for their first Senate win in Texas since 1988.
Crockett has constructed a nationwide profile for zinger assaults on Republicans and centered on turning out Black voters within the Dallas and Houston areas. Talarico, a seminarian who typically references the Bible, held rallies throughout the state, together with in closely Republican areas.
“We’re not simply making an attempt to win an election,” a jubilant Talarico informed supporters in Austin earlier than the race was known as. ” We are attempting to essentially change our politics. And it is working.”
Dallas voter Tanu Sani mentioned she solid her poll for Talarico as a result of he “actually spoke to me in the way in which he tries to unify.”
Tomas Sanchez, a voter in Dallas County, mentioned he supported Crockett as a result of “she cares about immigrants, she cares in regards to the American individuals in a method that loads of the Republicans have confirmed they have not.”
Talarico outspent Crockett on tv promoting by greater than 4 to 1 as of late February. He acquired a burst of consideration — and marketing campaign contributions — final month from CBS’ resolution to not air his interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert, who mentioned the community pulled the interview for worry of angering Trump’s FCC.
Different key primaries
Texas’ races additionally featured new congressional district boundaries that GOP lawmakers — urged on by Trump — redrew to assist elect extra Republicans. The consequence matched a number of Democratic incumbents in main fights and arrange new normal election battlegrounds.
Republican former Rep. Mayra Flores was trying a comeback however was defeated by Eric Flores, a lawyer endorsed by Trump, for the nomination to run in opposition to Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. Mayra Flores made historical past in a 2022 particular election as the primary Republican to win within the Rio Grande Valley in 150 years however misplaced her bid for a full time period later that 12 months.
Incumbent Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw misplaced his main to state Rep. Steve Toth, who was endorsed by Sen. Ted Cruz.
One other incumbent GOP incumbent, Rep. Tony Gonzales, was thought of susceptible after an alleged affair with a staffer who killed herself. He was challenged by gun producer and YouTube influencer Brandon Herrera, who calls himself “the AK man.” The 2 will head to a runoff in a district that features Uvalde, website of a lethal 2022 taking pictures at Robb Elementary College.
Former Main League Baseball star Mark Teixeira clinched the Republican main to succeed GOP Chip Roy in southwest Texas.
Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy winner, received his social gathering’s main in South Texas in opposition to doctor Ada Cuellar. Pulido will face two-term Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz.
In suburban Dallas, Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson was going through former Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker and 2024 Senate nominee.
Democratic Rep. Al Inexperienced was combating to remain in workplace after his Houston-based district was drawn to lean Republican. Inexperienced, 78, ran in a newly drawn district in opposition to Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, who received a January particular election for the present 18th District.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott simply received his main and can face Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Roy superior to a main runoff with Mayes Middleton for lawyer normal.
