In Texas, a state that has not sent a Democrat to statewide office in more than thirty years, the long-shot hope of a political shift has taken a concrete shape: James Talarico, a seminarian-turned-state-lawmaker, emerged from a bruising primary as the Democratic nominee for Senate. On the Republican side, an old establishment figure and a restless insurgent are being forced into a runoff on May 26, their fate now tied to a president who has so far chosen silence. Beneath the tallies lies a familiar question about who gets to vote and how easily, a reminder that democratic outcomes depend as m
Talarico Wins Texas Democratic Senate Nomination; Cornyn and Paxton Head to May GOP Runoff
Some voters in Dallas and Williamson counties were turned away or redirected to other precincts due to new primary rules, and Crockett said people were disenfranchised.
Cornyn hopes to avoid being the first Texas GOP senator denied renomination
Mark
Talarico won, but the Republican side is the bigger unknown, isn't it?
Mimi
It is. Cornyn and Paxton go to a May 26 runoff, and Trump hasn't endorsed either. Cornyn is trying not to be the first Texas Republican senator denied renomination.
Luke
Worth noting the runoff is confirmed, but how it plays out isn't. Whether Trump endorses is a question, not a prediction.
Mark
Cornyn called Paxton dead weight on the ticket. Is that fair?
Mimi
It's his argument, made as a candidate. Senate GOP leaders share the worry about Paxton's liabilities and the cost of defending the seat.
Luke
Right, but that's a concern attributed to party leaders. The reporting doesn't show how general election voters would react.
Mark
And the Democratic race?
Mimi
Talarico outspent Crockett by more than four to one on TV as of late February, and got a lift from the CBS-Colbert episode.
Luke
Careful, though. The spending gap is a fact; how much it decided the result isn't established.
Mark
What about the voting problems in Dallas?
Mimi
Voters reported being turned away under new rules, polls stayed open late, and the state Supreme Court ordered late ballots separated.
Luke
Crockett says people were disenfranchised, and she plans to sue. How many ballots are affected is still unknown.
El Pulso
- Talarico's win over Crockett came after a costly, bitter primary that has left Democrats cautiously hopeful in a state that has not elected them statewide in decades.
- Cornyn fell short of 50 percent and now faces Paxton in a May 26 runoff, with Cornyn openly warning that his rival would be dead weight on the GOP ticket.
- Trump has not endorsed in either Republican race, and his decision could determine who prevails in the runoff.
- Voting disruptions in Dallas and Harris counties, including extended polling and a court order to separate certain ballots, have pulled the primary into legal battles.
- Crockett plans to sue over turned-away voters in Dallas, and the outcome of the ballot separation remains unclear for Dallas County.
In Texas, a state that has not sent a Democrat to statewide office in more than thirty years, the long-shot hope of a political shift has taken a concrete shape: James Talarico, a seminarian-turned-state-lawmaker, emerged from a bruising primary as the Democratic nominee for Senate. On the Republican side, an old establishment figure and a restless insurgent are being forced into a runoff on May 26, their fate now tied to a president who has so far chosen silence. Beneath the tallies lies a familiar question about who gets to vote and how easily, a reminder that democratic outcomes depend as much on the machinery of the ballot as on the candidates themselves.
In Austin, before the results were even official, James Talarico told supporters that his aim was larger than a single election: he wanted to change the way Texas politics works. Soon after, the Associated Press called the Democratic Senate primary for him over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, ending a contest that had grown expensive, sharp, and closely watched.
The Republican race is not settled. Sen. John Cornyn, seeking a fifth term, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, a favorite of the MAGA wing, will meet in a May 26 runoff after neither cleared 50 percent. Cornyn skipped an election night party and told reporters that a Paxton nomination would be a burden on the whole ticket. Trump, whose endorsement all three major Republican candidates courted, has not yet chosen a side, and that choice may decide the runoff.
Voting itself became a fight. Polls stayed open late in Dallas and Williamson counties after people said they were turned away or sent to other precincts under new primary rules. Paxton's office challenged the extension, and the state Supreme Court ordered that ballots cast by people who were not in line by 7 p.m. be kept separate, though it remained unclear how that would work. Crockett's campaign plans to sue, saying people had been disenfranchised.
In Austin, before the race had even been called, state Rep. James Talarico told a room of supporters that the goal was bigger than winning an election. "We are trying to fundamentally change our politics," he said. The Associated Press then declared him the winner of Texas's Democratic Senate primary over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, in a contest that was expensive, bitter at times, and closely watched.
The Republican side was not settled. Sen. John Cornyn, seeking a fifth term, and state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a favorite of the MAGA wing, are headed to a May 26 runoff. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt finished a distant third and conceded, but his presence in the race made it harder for anyone to clear the 50% threshold needed to win outright. All three candidates ran on their ties to President Donald Trump, who made no endorsement. Whether he offers one now could decide the runoff.
Cornyn faced enough risk that he skipped an election night party and spoke to reporters in Austin instead. He argued that a Paxton victory would leave "a dead weight at the top of the ticket for Republicans," and called Paxton "a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate." He hopes to avoid becoming the first Republican senator in Texas history to seek reelection and fail to be renominated. His cool relationship with Trump is part of what left him exposed; he and allied groups spent at least $64 million on television advertising alone since July to steady his support.
Paxton, speaking to supporters in Dallas, said he felt the way he did on a recent trip to Mar-a-Lago, and declared, "Texas is not for sale." He began campaigning in earnest only last month. He has made national headlines by suing over Democratic initiatives, and he has stayed popular despite a 2023 impeachment trial on corruption charges, from which he was acquitted, and accusations of marital infidelity by his wife. Senate GOP leaders back Cornyn and worry that Paxton's liabilities would make the seat harder to defend and force spending that could go elsewhere.
On the Democratic side, Talarico and Crockett each argued they were the stronger November candidate in a state that backed Trump by almost 14 points in 2024 and has not elected a Democrat statewide in over 30 years. Democrats have not won a Texas Senate seat since 1988. Talarico, a seminarian who often cites the Bible, held rallies across the state, including in heavily Republican areas. Crockett, who has a national profile for sharp attacks on Republicans, focused on turning out Black voters around Dallas and Houston. Talarico outspent her on television by more than four to one as of late February, and he got a boost in attention and donations when CBS declined to air his interview with Stephen Colbert, who said the network feared angering Trump's FCC.
Voting itself became a fight. Polling was extended in Dallas County and Williamson County, outside Austin, after voters said they were turned away and sent to other precincts under new primary rules. Paxton's office challenged the extension, and the state Supreme Court ruled that ballots from people not in line by 7 p.m. should be kept separate. It was unclear how that would be carried out or how many eligible ballots remained in Dallas County, Crockett's home base. In Harris County, a spokesperson said that at 10 p.m. voters were still at 20 centers. Crockett's campaign said she planned to sue, and she warned briefly that "people have been disenfranchised."
Down the ballot, new congressional maps drawn by Republicans at Trump's urging shaped several contests. Rep. Dan Crenshaw lost to state Rep. Steve Toth, backed by Sen. Ted Cruz. Rep. Tony Gonzales, dogged by an alleged affair with a staffer who later killed herself, goes to a runoff with Brandon Herrera in a district that includes Uvalde. Former baseball star Mark Teixeira won the GOP nomination to succeed Chip Roy, who advanced to an attorney general runoff with Mayes Middleton. Eric Flores, endorsed by Trump, beat former Rep. Mayra Flores, and Latin Grammy winner Bobby Pulido won the Democratic nomination to face Rep. Monica De La Cruz. Gov. Greg Abbott will face state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
What to watch: Trump's decision on an endorsement, Crockett's promised lawsuit, and how the court's ballot order is handled in Dallas County.
Citas Notables
A runoff win by Paxton would leave a dead weight at the top of the ticket for Republicans.— Sen. John Cornyn
We are trying to fundamentally change our politics. And it's working.— James Talarico
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