Dan Crenshaw Loses Primary After Becoming Lone Texas Republican Without Trump's Endorsement

Experts called the race for Crenshaw's opponent early on Tuesday night, marking a dramatic fall for a once-rising star in the GOP.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Rep. Dan Crenshaw, the only Texas House Republican that former President Donald Trump declined to endorse in Tuesday's primaries, lost his race to state Rep. Steve Toth for the state's Second Congressional District. With 94.8% of the vote counted, Toth had 55.8% of the vote compared to 40.6% for Crenshaw, a decisive victory that surprised many experts who had expected a close race.

Why it matters

Crenshaw's loss marks a dramatic fall for a once-rising star in the Republican Party. As the only Texas GOP House member not endorsed by Trump, Crenshaw faced an uphill battle against a challenger who had the support of prominent conservatives like Sen. Ted Cruz and the Trump-aligned Turning Point Action group.

The details

Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, had earned a reputation as a moderate Republican who was willing to break with the party's conservative base on some issues. This, combined with accusations that he had gotten wealthy from his position in Congress, appears to have turned off many GOP voters in his redrawn district outside of Houston.

  • On March 4, 2026, voters in Texas's Second Congressional District went to the polls for the Republican primary election.
  • With 94.8% of the vote counted on the morning of March 5, 2026, Toth was declared the winner, defeating the incumbent Crenshaw.

The players

Steve Toth

A state representative who defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw in the Republican primary for Texas's Second Congressional District.

Dan Crenshaw

The incumbent Republican representative for Texas's Second Congressional District, who lost his primary race to Steve Toth.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who declined to endorse Crenshaw in the Republican primary.

Ted Cruz

The Republican senator from Texas, who supported Toth's campaign.

Turning Point Action

A conservative group that supported Toth's campaign against Crenshaw.

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What they’re saying

“I've seen enough: Steve Toth (R) defeats Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R) in the #TX02 GOP primary.”

— Dave Wasserman (Twitter)

“Everyone here is happy about eyepatch McCain losing like a dog tonight, I can tell you that.”

— Matthew J. Peterson (Twitter)

What’s next

The winner of the Republican primary, Steve Toth, will advance to the general election in November 2026 to compete for the Second Congressional District seat.

The takeaway

Crenshaw's primary loss highlights the growing divide within the Republican Party, where loyalty to former President Trump and his conservative base has become a key factor in primary elections. This result could signal a shift in the GOP's direction, with more hardline conservative candidates gaining ground against moderate incumbents.