Talarico Wins Texas Democratic Senate Nomination; Cornyn and Paxton Head to May GOP Runoff

Before the race was officially called, James Talarico stood in front of supporters in Austin and told them what he thought the night meant. "We are not just trying to win an election," the Texas state representative said. "We are trying to fundamentally change our politics. And it's working." He went on to say the state had "given this country a little bit of hope." By the end of Tuesday, he had beaten Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

The primary was expensive and bitterly contested, and it revived the party's long-running hope of an upset in a state it has not won in decades. Democrats have not taken a Senate seat in Texas since 1988, and no Democrat has won statewide in more than 30 years. Trump carried the state by almost 14 percentage points in 2024. Both Democrats had argued they would be the stronger general election candidate under those conditions.

Their styles could hardly have differed. Talarico, a seminarian who often cites the Bible, held rallies across the state, including in heavily Republican areas. Crockett built a national profile on sharp, zinger-style attacks on Republicans and focused on turning out Black voters in the Dallas and Houston areas. By late February, Talarico had outspent her on television advertising by more than four to one. Last month he also drew attention and campaign contributions after CBS declined to air his interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert, who said the network pulled it for fear of angering Trump's FCC. Dallas voter Tanu Sani said she backed Talarico because he "really spoke to me in the way he tries to unify." Tomas Sanchez, a Dallas County voter, chose Crockett because "she cares about immigrants."

The night was not clean. Voting was extended in Dallas County and in Williamson County, outside Austin, after voters said they were turned away and sent to different precincts under new primary rules. Paxton's office challenged the decision to keep polls open longer, and the state Supreme Court ruled that ballots cast by people not in line by 7 p.m. should be separated from the rest. It was unclear how that would be carried out, or how many eligible ballots remained uncounted in Dallas County, Crockett's home base. In Harris County, which includes Houston, a spokesperson said that as of 10 p.m. voters were still waiting at 20 centers. Crockett's campaign said she planned to sue, and she spoke only briefly, warning that "people have been disenfranchised."

On the Republican side, no one cleared the 50% threshold, so Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton go to a May 26 runoff. Rep. Wesley Hunt finished a distant third and conceded, but his presence made an outright win harder for anyone. All three had campaigned on their ties to Trump, who made no endorsement, so Cornyn and Paxton will now compete for his favor. If Cornyn loses, he would be the first Republican senator in Texas history to seek reelection and not be renominated.

Cornyn skipped an election night party. Speaking to reporters in Austin, he argued that a Paxton win would leave "a dead weight at the top of the ticket for Republicans," and called Paxton "flawed, self-centered and shameless." His cool relationship with Trump has been part of his vulnerability. He and allied groups spent at least $64 million on television advertising alone since July. Paxton, who began campaigning in earnest only last month, told supporters in Dallas, "Texas is not for sale." He has drawn national attention for lawsuits against Democratic initiatives and stayed popular despite a 2023 impeachment trial on corruption charges, which ended in acquittal, and accusations of marital infidelity by his wife. Senate GOP leaders back Cornyn and worry that Paxton would be costly to defend in November.

Down the ballot, new congressional maps drawn by GOP lawmakers at Trump's urging shaped several races. Rep. Dan Crenshaw lost to state Rep. Steve Toth, who was endorsed by Sen. Ted Cruz. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who faced scrutiny over 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 Rep. Chip Roy, who is in a runoff with Mayes Middleton for attorney general. Latin Grammy winner Bobby Pulido won the Democratic nod to face Rep. Monica De La Cruz. Gov. Greg Abbott won easily and will face Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.

What to watch now: whether Trump endorses before May 26, how Crockett's legal challenge over Dallas County unfolds, and whether the Cornyn-Paxton fight gets uglier.