2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas
Texas’s 2026 U.S. Senate election will decide whether Republicans keep a long-held Senate seat in a state that remains central to the chamber’s balance of power. The race has featured incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and state Rep. James Talarico, with the Republican primary and general election shaped by party unity, Donald Trump’s influence, and each party’s effort to define the state’s political direction. Cornyn and Paxton represent competing GOP lanes, while Democrats are trying to turn Texas into a more competitive statewide battleground.
Candidates
John Cornyn
John Cornyn is the senior U.S. senator from Texas and a Republican seeking another term in 2026. Before joining the Senate, he served as Texas attorney general and on the Texas Supreme Court, and he has been a prominent figure in Texas Republican politics for more than two decades.
Ken Paxton is the Republican attorney general of Texas and a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2026. His campaign presents him as a Trump-aligned conservative focused on border security, tax cuts, gun rights, and opposition to what it calls the Washington establishment.
James Talarico is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 50 and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas in 2026. A former middle school teacher, he has built his campaign around affordability, public education, and a broadly progressive message aimed at expanding the Democratic coalition in Texas.
Polling
Data Analysis Information
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 4/29/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.