Election 2026 Texas

Candidate signs line the entrance to a polling location as voters cast ballots in local and primary runoff elections Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Dallas.

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Cornyn tries to keep his Texas Senate seat in a runoff with Paxton, the latest test of Trump's power

Cornyn tries to keep his Texas Senate seat in a runoff with Paxton, the latest test of Trump's power

Texans are choosing a Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. The election brings to a close a bitter and expensive primary. President Donald Trump endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton last week over four-term Sen. John Cornyn. It's the president's latest effort to rid the GOP of leaders he views as less devoted to him. Cornyn is backed by Senate GOP leaders, and allies have spent roughly $90 million in advertising since last year. Most of it attacked Paxton. Cornyn risks becoming the first Republican senator in Texas history to seek the party’s nod and lose. The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Democrat James Talarico in November.