Texas primaries spark costly, high-stakes battles as Cornyn heads to a May runoff
Texas’ first 2026 primaries proved costly and consequential: Sen. John Cornyn defied a strong bid from Ken Paxton and will face a May runoff, in a race that has already drawn nearly $100 million; Democrat Jasmine Crockett lost to James Talarico after a high-spending, anti-Trump dynamic; redistricting created challenges for incumbents like Dan Crenshaw and Al Green while Latino turnout surged in the Rio Grande Valley, signaling significant demographic shifts heading into the midterms.