Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff held on May 26, 2026, securing nearly a 28-point margin of victory [1, 2, 3]. Paxton, 62-63, will now advance to the November general election to face Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old state legislator [1, 4, 5].
Paxton’s win capped one of the most expensive US Senate primary races ever, with Cornyn spending roughly $90-100 million on his campaign and allied advertising [2, 3]. Cornyn, 74, has served in the Senate since 2002 and held leadership roles including Senate Republican Whip from 2013 to 2019 [1, 6]. Despite his establishment backing, Cornyn narrowly led the first-round primary in March with 42.5% against Paxton’s 40.8%, but failed to avoid a runoff [1, 7].
Former President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton shortly before the runoff, calling him "a true MAGA warrior," a move that energized the party’s conservative base and proved decisive in Paxton’s victory [7, 2, 8, 9]. Paxton said, "President Trump is the leader of our party, and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics" after his win [8]. Supporters like Jim Tubbesing praised Paxton’s conservative record, with Tubbesing saying, "He has been good for Texas. I vote for the policy, not the fact that he’s alleged to have done something" [7].
Paxton has faced multiple legal and personal controversies in recent years, including impeachment by the Texas House in 2023 followed by acquittal, a felony securities fraud indictment dismissed in 2024, and a 2025 divorce citing adultery [10, 9, 6]. Both candidates also engaged in heated campaign rhetoric, with anti-Muslim ads increasing during the runoff [11].
Cornyn conceded after the results and pledged to support the Republican ticket in the November midterms, saying, "I’ve said throughout this race that I trust the voters of Texas, and they made their decision, and I must respect it" [4, 9].
Paxton faces a challenging general election against Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian and state lawmaker, in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. Polls show a potentially tight race [1, 4, 12]. Paxton acknowledged the stakes, stating, "Without a shadow of a doubt, I will be the Democrats’ No. 1 target in November. Texas will be the radical left’s No. 1 priority, but... we’re not going to let them take it" [4].
The November 2026 midterm election will determine if Paxton succeeds in maintaining the Republican Senate seat or if Talarico can break a decades-long GOP hold.
