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Key takeaways from Texas primaries, as Talarico beats Crockett in Democratic race

March 4, 2026

Texas held primary elections on Tuesday to select Democratic and Republican candidates for a contested US Senate seat in November's midterm elections. On the Democratic side, state representative James Talarico defeated US Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett by winning suburban and Hispanic-majority areas with a message of cross-party cooperation, while Crockett performed better in major cities and regions with large Black populations. The Republican contest between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton failed to produce a winner, forcing a May runoff despite Cornyn's massive spending advantage, as Paxton successfully portrayed him as insufficiently conservative and too close to the establishment.

Who is affected

  • Texas voters, particularly those in Dallas County who experienced polling location confusion
  • Democratic candidates James Talarico (winner) and Jasmine Crockett
  • Republican candidates John Cornyn and Ken Paxton (advancing to runoff)
  • Voters who cast ballots in Dallas County after the scheduled closing time (ballots counted separately)
  • First-time Democratic primary voters (400,000 participated)
  • Lela Bodley and her mother (specifically mentioned as being turned away from multiple polling locations)
  • Affluent white liberal voters in suburbs, Hispanic voters in San Antonio and Rio Grande Valley, and Black voters in eastern Texas and major cities

What action is being taken

  • Voters are casting ballots in primary elections across Texas
  • John Cornyn and Ken Paxton are campaigning for the Republican Senate nomination
  • The US is conducting bombing operations against Iran with Israel (described as "ongoing")
  • Cornyn is spending heavily on television advertising attacking Paxton
  • Dallas County polling locations are requiring voters to cast ballots at specific precincts based on home addresses
  • Ballots cast after the scheduled closing time in Dallas County are being counted separately per Texas Supreme Court order

Why it matters

  • This election provides insight into the ideological directions of both major parties ahead of the November midterms that will determine congressional control during Trump's presidency. For Democrats, it represents a potential breakthrough in a state they haven't won statewide in 32 years, with record early voting turnout suggesting heightened engagement that could make Texas competitive. The Republican runoff between establishment incumbent Cornyn and insurgent Paxton reflects the ongoing tension within the party between traditional conservatism and Trump-aligned populism. The voting access problems in Dallas County raise concerns about election integrity and fairness, particularly regarding Republican-backed changes that disproportionately affected Democratic voters in urban areas. Economic concerns including grocery prices, gas costs, housing affordability, and childcare expenses are driving voter motivation more than foreign policy issues.

What's next

  • John Cornyn and Ken Paxton will compete in a Republican runoff election on May 26
  • James Talarico will face the Republican winner in the November general election
  • Months of primary campaigning will continue across America in other states
  • Potential gas price increases may emerge as a political issue resulting from ongoing Iran military operations

Read full article from source: BBC