Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn by a decisive 64% to 36% margin, according to AP results. This marks the first time in Texas history that a sitting Republican senator has lost a reelection nomination.
Former President Donald Trump, who officially endorsed Paxton last week, called him a "true MAGA warrior." The victory adds Paxton to a growing list of Trump-backed candidates winning primaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Cornyn, who has served in the Senate for over 20 years and was a Republican leader in Congress, was considered a traditional Republican. Despite support from major donors and senior party figures, Cornyn struggled to win over Trump supporters. For months, he tried to show loyalty to Trump's agenda, but Trump still criticized him as "very disloyal" for questioning Trump's political future in 2023. Ultimately, Trump endorsed Paxton, decisively shifting the race's dynamics.
Paxton praised Trump's support as "the strongest force in politics." Cornyn conceded defeat, saying, "Tonight, we lost," but vowed to continue supporting other Republican candidates.
However, some in the Republican Party worry Paxton may struggle in the November general election due to scandals and legal controversies, including corruption charges, impeachment proceedings, and securities fraud accusations. Paxton was impeached in 2023 for abusing office to benefit a donor, but the Texas Senate acquitted him. Many consider Paxton "too toxic" and "too extreme" to connect with ordinary voters.
Paxton will face Democratic Representative James Talarico in the general election. Talarico, whose campaign focuses on anti-corruption, public education, and economic issues, hopes to make Texas more competitive due to demographic changes. The Cook Political Report recently shifted Texas from "Lean Republican" to "Likely Republican," reflecting expectations of a tighter race.
In other developments, veteran Democratic Representative Al Green lost his primary to younger candidate Christian Menefee, marking a generational shift in one of Texas's safest Democratic districts. Menefee, who won a special election in January, is expected to easily hold the seat in November. The race drew attention due to heavy spending by Fairshake, a pro-crypto super PAC, which spent millions to help Menefee defeat Green, who opposed parts of the industry's agenda.
Former Representative Colin Allred also won the Democratic primary, paving his return to Congress after losing the 2024 Senate race to Republican Ted Cruz. Allred defeated Representative Julie Johnson in a contentious race marked by mutual attacks over money, ethics, and personal wealth.
Finally, Democrat Johnny Garcia won the primary in Texas's 35th Congressional District over Maureen Galindo, after Democratic leaders intervened to block Galindo's nomination due to comments criticized as antisemitic. Garcia will face a general election in November in a district redrawn by Republicans.
