Texas GOP Senate primary heading to Cornyn-Paxton runoff, CBS News projects

Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will advance to a runoff in the Texas Republican Senate primary, with neither clearing 50% of the vote, according to CBS News projections on March 3, 2026. The runoff is scheduled for May 26, setting up a high-stakes battle between two prominent Republican figures with different approaches to politics. Cornyn, now serving his fourth term in the Senate, has never faced a serious primary challenger and previously served as majority whip during Mr. Trump's first term. Paxton, a three-term attorney general and close ally of the former president, led the 2020 lawsuit contesting election results in four states and spoke at Trump's Stop the Steal rally on January 6, 2021. The GOP's Senate campaign arm has poured millions into Cornyn's campaign, while the race has shattered spending records with over $110 million spent on television ads by February 23. President Trump has not endorsed in the primary, though he appeared with all three candidates at a Corpus Christi rally over the weekend. A February survey from Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs found that 55% of Republican primary voters would be more likely to support a candidate with Trump's endorsement, making his potential endorsement highly significant in the upcoming runoff. Paxton's political career has been marked by controversy. In 2023, he was impeached by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature on 20 counts, including bribery and abuse of public trust, but was acquitted by the state Senate. He was also indicted in 2015 on securities fraud charges, though those were eventually dismissed. Despite these challenges, Paxton maintains strong support among Trump-aligned Republicans. Cornyn, meanwhile, has emphasized his legislative record and conservative credentials while attacking Paxton's personal scandals. The senator has warned that Republicans would face an 'Election Day massacre' if Paxton won the primary, while Paxton has accused Cornyn of having 'fake' support for Trump.