Ken Paxton Defeats John Cornyn in Texas Republican Senate Primary to Face Democrat James Talarico

Ken Paxton secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas, ·May 27 – May 28, 2026

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Ken Paxton Defeats John Cornyn in Texas Republican Senate Primary to Face Democrat James Talarico

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a primary runoff following an endorsement from Donald Trump. The victory came after a significant polling miss that failed to predict Cornyn's blowout loss. Despite a bitter primary that divided the party, Senate Republican Leader John Thune announced his support for Paxton to unify the GOP ahead of the general election. Paxton will now face Democratic Representative James Talarico in a high-stakes general election clash. Observers suggest the upcoming campaign may become exceptionally aggressive as both parties prepare for a competitive race in Texas. While some analysts question if Democrats are ready to win the seat, others highlight potential risks for the Republican party following the primary results.

Paxton's win over Cornyn sets up high-stakes Texas clash with TalaricoJohn Thune goes 'all in' for Ken Paxton after bitter primaryCornyn's blowout loss exposes polling miss in Texas primary