Texas Senate Primary Races Ignite Fierce Showdowns in Both Parties
Voters exit the South Austin Recreation Center polling location during the Texas primary election in Austin on March 3.
Photographer: Kaylee Greenlee/BloombergThe biggest contest of the 2026 midterm election cycle so far is underway, with voters in Texas making their choices in a statewide primary Tuesday that could determine whether Democrats have a shot at narrowing the gap with Republicans in the US Senate come November.
On the Republican side, a three-way race featuring Senator John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and US Representative Wesley Hunt is likely to head to a runoff election in May. Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth term in the Senate, holds a massive fundraising advantage but has struggled to erase Paxton’s lead in most polls. Hunt is expected to finish third.