Race details
Texas U.S. Senate Republican Primary
March 3, 2026Texasrunoff
Why this race matters
No candidate cleared 50% on March 3, so John Cornyn and Ken Paxton advance to a May 26 runoff for the GOP nomination—one of the country’s most watched Senate races. Cornyn, a four-term senator and former party whip, leads the establishment lane; Paxton, the sitting attorney general, campaigned as the populist alternative. Wesley Hunt and others were eliminated. The runoff winner faces Democrat James Talarico in November.
Candidates
John Cornyn (R)
Incumbent
1,315,200 votes · 44.1%
Ken Paxton (R)
1,267,800 votes · 42.5%
Wesley Hunt (R)
407,400 votes · 13.4%