Texas Republicans will decide their Senate nominee in a runoff after neither Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) nor Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a majority in the GOP primary on March 3.
With most votes counted, Cornyn led with roughly 41–43 percent of the vote, while Paxton followed closely with about 40–41 percent. Because no candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold required to win outright, the two will face each other in a runoff election scheduled for May 26.
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) finished a distant third with around 13 percent of the vote and was eliminated from the race.
The contest has become one of the most expensive Senate primaries in U.S. history. Cornyn and allied groups spent tens of millions of dollars to support his campaign and attack Paxton and Hunt. Estimates show Cornyn and his allies outspent Paxton’s side by tens of millions on advertising.
Despite the heavy spending, Paxton maintained a strong base among conservative voters. Speaking Tuesday night, Paxton criticized the amount of money used against him.
“John spent $100 million, what a waste of money,” Paxton said. “That money should have been going to Republicans in other states.”
Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002 and is seeking a fifth term, also took aim at his opponent during his remarks.
“I refuse to allow a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton risk everything we’ve worked so hard to build over these many years,” Cornyn said. “Judgment Day is coming for Ken Paxton.”
The race has been marked by sharp attacks from both sides. Cornyn and his allies repeatedly highlighted Paxton’s past legal issues and personal controversies, including his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on corruption-related allegations. Paxton was later acquitted in a Senate trial and remained in office.
Paxton and his supporters, meanwhile, questioned Cornyn’s loyalty to President Donald Trump and portrayed the longtime senator as part of the Republican establishment in Washington.
President Trump did not endorse a candidate in the primary, despite appearing with Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt at a rally in Texas shortly before the election. Trump said he liked all three candidates and stayed neutral in the race.
The runoff sets up a high-stakes showdown between two prominent figures in Texas Republican politics. Cornyn is backed by many establishment Republicans and national party groups, while Paxton has positioned himself as a more populist, MAGA-aligned alternative.
Hunt’s supporters could play a decisive role in the runoff. During the campaign, Hunt signaled he would not support Cornyn, saying he would be unlikely to endorse the senator.
The winner of the May runoff will face the Democratic nominee in the November general election. Democrats are currently deciding between Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) and state Rep. James Talarico.
Republicans have held the Texas Senate seat for decades, and the state has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 1988.