TEXAS — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate in Texas.
Paxton will now face state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, in the November general election in what is expected to be an expensive and closely watched race. No Democrat has won statewide office in the Lone Star State since 1994.
Cheers rang through the ballroom at Paxton’s election night party when the race was called, as the stage filled with supporters holding Paxton campaign signs.
Paxton took the stage to chants of “Ken, Ken, Ken,” and he quickly gave credit to Trump.
“When everyone in Washington told him to abandon me and abandon the people of Texas, he didn't listen,” Paxton said. “President Trump is the leader of our party, and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics.â€
In stark contrast to Paxton’s celebrations, Cornyn gave a short concession speech tinged with emotion to a room of only reporters.
“Tonight we've come up short,†Cornyn said, adding that he'd support Paxton in the general election. “I've always supported the Republican ticket and I intend to do so again.â€
Cornyn's campaign and allied groups spent roughly $109 million on advertising for the March 3 primary and Tuesday's runoff. He had the backing of Senate GOP leaders, who said he would be the stronger general election candidate.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott congratulated Paxton on his victory, saying he will “destroy Talarico†in November. Â
Talarico, who defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March Democratic primary, reacted to the news of Paxton’s victory by calling him the “most corrupt political in America.”
Democrats see Talarico as a rare opportunity to win a statewide race in Texas, which isn’t lost on Paxton.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, I will be the Democrats' number one target in November,†he said in his victory speech, along with an attack on Talarico.
Cornyn and Paxton advanced to a runoff after neither received the over 50% of the vote needed to win outright during the March primary. Cornyn had 42% of the vote in March, and Paxton had 41%. The third candidate in the race who didn't make the runoff was U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Houston, with 14% of the vote.
On the second day of early voting, President Donald Trump gave his long-awaited endorsement, throwing his weight behind Paxton in a post on Truth Social. Hunt also endorsed Paxton right after Trump.
Trump, in his endorsement, poked at Cornyn, saying he “was not supportive of me when times were tough†and that “John was very late in backing me.â€
Cornyn suggested in 2023 that Trump could not win the presidency again in 2024 and that his “time has passed him by.†He also was an early critic of Trump's plan for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico — a project he now supports.
Cornyn said Tuesday on Fox News Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show†that the president’s ire was misplaced. There are “grifters,” he said, “claiming that I am opposed to the president’s agenda, and I think that's caused some confusion with the president himself. But I've been supportive.â€
Election Day for the 2026 midterms is on Nov. 3, with early voting beginning on Oct. 19. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 5.Â
This is a developing story.
