Paxton beats Cornyn in high-profile Texas Senate GOP runoff

Published May 26, 2026 9:02pm ET | Updated May 26, 2026 9:02pm ET



Four-term Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) lost renomination to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday in a GOP primary that became a referendum on loyalty to President Donald Trump.

The Trump-backed Paxton received 62.5% of the votes compared to Cornyn’s 37.5% when the Associated Press called the race. The three-term attorney general will face off against the Democratic nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, in the general election.

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