Texas GOP Senate primary heading to Cornyn-Paxton runoff, CBS News projects
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In the Texas GOP Senate primary, CBS News projects Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will go to a runoff, with neither clearing 50% of the vote.
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Politics Texas GOP Senate primary heading to runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and AG Ken Paxton, CBS News projects By Caroline Linton Caroline Linton Associate Managing Editor, Politics Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork. Read Full Bio Caroline Linton Updated on: March 3, 2026 / 11:04 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google 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. Paxton, now in his third term as attorney general, is challenging Cornyn, now serving his fourth term, who has also been in Republican leadership. The GOP's Senate campaign arm has poured millions into Cornyn's campaign. The runoff is scheduled for May. 26. President Trump has not yet endorsed in the primary. By Feb. 23, more than $110 million had been spent on television ads in the record-breaking Senate primary race, according to AdImpact, which monitors ad spending. Mr. Trump, meanwhile, said he liked all three candidates. The trio appeared with him at a rally in Corpus Christi over last weekend. Mr. Trump endorsed in most of the House races in Texas and several of the state-level races. The president's endorsement was no small matter for the candidates, and a February survey from Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs found that 55% of Republican primary voters polled said they'd be more likely to vote for a candidate if that candidate had Mr. Trump's backing. Cornyn, 74, has never faced a serious primary challenger, and in 2020, he won more votes in the state than Mr. Trump. Cornyn served as the majority whip during Mr. Trump's first term and before that, as the GOP conference vice chair and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm. Paxton has a strong base of support and is a close ally of the pres...
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