Texas Kicks Off 2026 Midterm Primaries with Hotly Contested Senate Races

Voters in Texas, Arkansas, and North Carolina will pick nominees for key federal and state offices on Tuesday

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Two high-profile U.S. Senate primaries in Texas will help officially launch the 2026 midterm election cycle on Tuesday, March 2nd. Voters in the Lone Star State will also choose nominees for a full slate of state offices, from governor to state legislature. Arkansas and North Carolina also hold primaries on the same day.

Why it matters

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats face an uphill battle to retake control in 2026. The outcomes of the Texas primaries could play a pivotal role in determining the balance of power in the upper chamber of Congress.

The details

In the Republican Senate primary, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing a tough challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, and several others. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are in a competitive race for the nomination. Further down the ballot, congressional candidates are competing in new districts redrawn by state Republicans. Vulnerable GOP incumbents like Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Tony Gonzales also face primary challenges.

  • Polls close statewide at 7 p.m. local time, but the state is split into two time zones. Polls in most of Texas close at 8 p.m. ET, while polls in the westernmost part of the state close at 9 p.m. ET.
  • As of Thursday, nearly 1,177,000 Democratic primary ballots and more than 1,009,000 Republican primary ballots had already been cast.

The players

John Cornyn

The incumbent Republican U.S. Senator from Texas who is seeking renomination.

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General who is challenging Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary.

Jasmine Crockett

A U.S. Representative competing for the Democratic Senate nomination.

James Talarico

A state Representative also running for the Democratic Senate nomination.

Greg Abbott

The incumbent Republican Governor of Texas who is seeking a fourth term.

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What’s next

The primary winners must receive a majority of the vote to avoid a May 26 runoff election.

The takeaway

The outcomes of the Texas primaries, particularly the high-profile Senate races, will have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress and the direction of the Republican and Democratic parties heading into the 2026 midterm elections.