Texas Senate Race 2026

Compare candidates running in this Texas federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

James Talarico

Party: Democrat

Ken Paxton

Party: Republican

John Cornyn

Party: Republican

OBJ SPEAKING

Create StoryTimelinesVoter ToolsAll StoriesUSWorldPoliticsBusinessHealthEntertainmentTechnologyCommunity PicksAbout
← US Map>Texas>Senate Race
senate

Texas Senate Race

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 6, 2026
📊Polling+2.0 Talarico
Talarico leads both potential Republican opponents by narrow margins within polling error. Against Cornyn: Talarico 43%, Cornyn 41%. Against Paxton: Talarico 44%, Paxton 43%.
Source: Impact Research2026-03-17
43%
Talarico
41%
Cornyn
likely r★ Flip Potential— Cook Political Report

Texas holds significant strategic value despite being reliably Republican. Democratic success would be historic—the party hasn't won statewide since 1994. With negative approval ratings for both top Republican candidates, Democrats see a genuine opportunity if the political environment shifts.

James TalaricoD
Ken PaxtonR
John CornynR

Summary

James Talarico is a 36-year-old Texas House of Representatives member from Austin (elected 2018) who has risen to national prominence as a progressive Democrat with strong Christian faith. A former sixth-grade teacher and Presbyterian seminarian currently pursuing his Master of Divinity, Talarico frames his politics through a Christian lens emphasizing love of neighbor and care for the marginalized. He won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on March 3, 2026, with 52.4% of the vote against higher-profile Democrat Jasmine Crockett. Talarico has built a following of over 1.2 million on social media through viral videos of floor speeches opposing Republican policies. He faces an uphill battle in the general election as no Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, though he is considered the stronger Democratic candidate if Republicans nominate scandal-plagued Ken Paxton.

Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General who has served since 2015 (third term). A 62-year-old attorney, Paxton previously served in the Texas House (2003-2015) and Texas Senate before becoming attorney general. He is a longtime Trump ally who has made a national profile through high-profile lawsuits against the Biden administration. Paxton has survived multiple political and legal challenges including impeachment by the Texas House on corruption charges in 2023 (acquitted by the Texas Senate), a decade-long securities fraud indictment (settled in 2024), an ongoing FBI investigation into corruption allegations that was closed without prosecution, and allegations of extramarital affairs. Despite these scandals, he has maintained strong support among conservative Republican primary voters and Trump's base.

John Cornyn is a four-term U.S. Senator from Texas who has served since 2002. Born in Houston, he previously served as Texas Attorney General (1999-2002) and on the Texas Supreme Court (1991-1997). He was the Senate Republican Whip from 2013 to 2019 and narrowly lost a bid for Senate Majority Leader in 2024. Cornyn has positioned himself as a conservative with a record of bipartisan dealmaking, though this has drawn criticism from the GOP's right wing who view him as insufficiently conservative and insufficiently loyal to President Trump.

Campaign Promises

Other
  • Fight against billionaire mega-donors and corrupt politicians
  • Restore America's global standing and fair trade agreements
  • Politics of love over hate
Economy
  • Restore affordable housing, childcare, and prescription drug costs
Education
  • Support public education
Immigration
  • Secure immigration pathway and border welcome
Other
  • Fight for President Trump's agenda
  • Take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment
  • Fight for Republican values and Texas values
Immigration
  • Border security and immigration enforcement
Justice
  • Election integrity
Other
  • Continue working with President Trump
  • Put America First
Immigration
  • Secure the border
Justice
  • Protect constitutional judges

Key Issue Positions

Christian Faith and Politics
Progressive Christian seeking to reclaim religious voters
Emphasizes that his faith compels progressive positions; criticizes Christian nationalism as 'cancer on our religion'; argues Jesus commands care for marginalized; appeals to religious voters turned off by conservative Christian nationalism
Healthcare/Prescription Drug Costs
Strong advocate for affordability
Capped insulin copays at $25/month after his own diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes; enabled drug imports from Canada; major platform plank in both state and federal campaigns
Public Education Funding
Strong defender of public schools
Authored/co-authored most significant school finance reform in 20 years bringing $11.6 billion in new funding; opposed privatization through school vouchers
Criminal Justice
Reform-minded
Authored Javier Ambler's Law ending police contracts with reality TV shows; focused on juvenile justice reform; named Top 10 Best Legislator by Texas Monthly
Trans Rights and LGBTQ+ Equality
Strong supporter
Has made statements defending trans people's dignity and equality; criticized by conservatives for social media comments on trans issues; argued Christianity requires defending marginalized communities
Immigration and Border
Welcoming stance with security caveat
Famous quote (partially decontextualized by Republicans): 'Our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a giant welcome mat out front' (full quote includes: 'and a lock on the door')
Anti-Christian Nationalism
Vocal critic
Calls Christian nationalism 'worship of power in the name of Christ'; argues it corrupts Christianity; frequently speaks about this as key issue distinguishing his faith from conservative Christian nationalism
Trump Loyalty
Strongest supporter of Trump agenda
Paxton frames himself as Trump's most loyal ally in Texas, having supported Trump's election fraud claims, defended Trump during impeachments, attended Trump's hush money trial, and made supporting Trump central to his Senate campaign. Claims to have sued Biden administration over 100 times
Ukraine Aid
Opposed, criticizing Cornyn
Made opposition to Ukraine aid a key attack on Cornyn, arguing it represents unnecessary foreign entanglement and drain on resources
Gun Rights
Strong Second Amendment absolutist
Attacked Cornyn for supporting bipartisan gun safety bill, labeling him 'anti-gun'
Immigration/Border Security
Hard-line enforcement advocate
Emphasis on physical barrier construction, aggressive enforcement, and Trump-style immigration policies
Gun Safety/Second Amendment
Supported bipartisan gun safety bill
Cornyn was instrumental in shepherding the first gun safety bill in a generation through the Senate after the Uvalde school shooting in 2022, a move that drew fierce backlash from conservative primary voters and Trump supporters who opposed any gun restrictions
Ukraine Aid
Conditionally supported but tied to border policy
While Cornyn has historically supported Ukraine aid and co-sponsored the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, he voted against a 2023 bill to supply Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with defense aid unless it included border and immigration policy overhauls, arguing border security is also a national security priority
Trump Loyalty
Claims strong support but periodically broken with Trump
Cornyn has voted with Trump 92% of the time and voted to acquit Trump in both impeachment trials. However, he criticized Trump's actions on January 6 as 'reckless,' was skeptical of Trump's electability before 2024, opposed Trump's tariffs, and backed the bipartisan gun safety bill which Trump criticized. Trump has called him a 'RINO' on social media
Tax Policy
Conservative, pro-business tax cuts
Strong supporter of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which he helped pass as Senate Whip

Top Donors

Small-dollar donors
98% of donations under $100Small Donor
Built campaign on grassroots fundraising; no corporate PAC donations
Lone Star Rising super PAC
Nearly $850,000 in pro-Talarico media buysSuper PAC
Backed by Austin philanthropist Simone Coxe, Houston billionaire Susan Sarofim, IntraFi CEO Mark Jacobsen, Houston restaurateur Pete McCaa and others
Individual wealthy donors
Large donations from progressive billionairesIndividual
While claiming to fight billionaires, Talarico has accepted donations from wealthy progressives
Individual Trump supporters and Tea Party Republicans
Majority of funding from grassroots supportersSmall Donor
Paxton's campaign relies more on small-dollar donors and grassroots enthusiasm than Cornyn's establishment backing
Preserve Texas super PAC
Millions in independent expenditure supportSuper PAC
Pro-Paxton group running ads in early 2025, including advertising in Palm Beach targeting Trump
Lone Star Liberty super PAC
Millions in support for PaxtonSuper PAC
Pro-Paxton group arguing his legal troubles are overblown and circulating memos defending his record
Defend Texas Liberty
$1 million contribution and $2 million loan to Lt. Gov. Dan PatrickSuper PAC
Pro-Paxton group that contributed to Patrick's campaign (Patrick presided over Paxton's acquittal)
National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC)
Multiple millions through joint committeesParty Committee
Does bulk of fundraising through joint committees with PACs, significantly exceeding direct campaign account totals
Senate Leadership Fund
Millions in independent expenditure supportSuper PAC
Pro-Cornyn super PAC running advertising and field operations
Texans for a Conservative Majority
Millions in attack advertisingSuper PAC
Pro-Cornyn group spending heavily on anti-Paxton ads describing him as 'weird'
One Nation
UndisclosedSuper PAC
Supporting Cornyn

Contradictions

Claim: Christian faith and family values drive his politics
Contradiction: Republicans have seized on his social media history showing posts about trans rights, statements that 'God is nonbinary,' support for abortion rights, and critical comments about 'radicalized white men,' using these to portray him as hypocritical on faith; he has defended these statements as reflecting his theology while Republicans argue they contradict traditional Christian values
Source: Spectrum News, CNN, Republican opposition research (March 2026)
Claim: Wants to welcome immigrants and support border security
Contradiction: Conservative opponents have decontextualized his 'giant welcome mat' quote, removing his caveat about 'a lock on the door,' portraying him as supporting open borders; he clarifies his position includes security measures but this hasn't stopped the attack line
Source: Various Republican sources and NRSC (March 2026)
Claim: Represents a new, fresh voice for Democrats
Contradiction: Trump called him 'a terribly weak candidate' and 'more woke' than opponent Crockett, predicting he'd be easier to defeat; his viral social media presence that made him famous is being weaponized against him with Republicans using AI deepfakes and selective clips of his more provocative statements
Source: Politico (Trump interview), CNN (deepfake reporting), Republican opposition research
Claim: 81-year history in Austin appealing to Austin progressives
Contradiction: While his base is in Austin, his appeal extends well beyond his district nationally (1.2M social media followers), but this national progressive platform may hurt him in red Texas where his views are more controversial than in Austin
Source: Various campaign and polling reports
Claim: Man of faith and family values
Contradiction: Paxton's wife filed for divorce citing 'biblical grounds,' with his wife and deputies alleging repeated extramarital affairs. One affair involved a woman paid for by political donor Nate Paul who Paxton was also accused of helping illegally. His campaign has featured ads with his daughter attempting to rebut character attacks
Source: Texas Tribune, CNN, PBS News (2023-2026)
Claim: Conservative fighter who has never bent a knee to the establishment
Contradiction: Paxton settled securities fraud charges by paying restitution and taking ethics training (2024), was acquitted of impeachment charges in 2023 when Republican-controlled legislature voted to remove him, was briefly suspended from office pending impeachment trial, and his wife of 30+ years alleged his conduct showed he 'bent' on marital vows
Source: PBS News, Texas Tribune (2023-2025)
Claim: Fighting for election integrity and defending Trump from witch hunts
Contradiction: Paxton's effort to overturn the 2020 election through lawsuits was deemed baseless and frivolous by courts; he faces ongoing state disciplinary proceeding over his election fraud efforts; the FBI investigation into him for corruption was closed without prosecution by the Justice Department; federal prosecutors who previously investigated him recused themselves
Source: Texas Tribune, PBS News, KUT (2024-2025)
Claim: Victim of politically motivated prosecutions like Trump
Contradiction: Paxton was impeached by a Republican-controlled Texas House with bipartisan support (121-23 vote), and defended his legal troubles as 'politically motivated' despite fellow Republicans voting to impeach him; his former deputies who reported him to FBI were from his own handpicked team
Source: PBS News, Texas Tribune (2023)
Claim: Strong Trump supporter who voted with Trump 92% of the time
Contradiction: Cornyn has criticized Trump's January 6 actions as 'reckless,' expressed skepticism about Trump's electability in 2024, opposed Trump's tariffs, and backed a gun safety bill Trump opposed. Trump has called him a 'RINO' and a 'hopeless' senator comparable to Mitt Romney
Source: CNN, Washington Post, Texas Tribune (2023-2026)
Claim: Supports securing the border
Contradiction: While claiming border security as a priority, Cornyn voted against $100+ billion in Ukraine aid over border provisions, suggesting border security may be used as leverage rather than a consistent principle
Source: Texas Tribune, KXAN (December 2023)
Claim: Conservative record of bipartisan dealmaking
Contradiction: This record is being reframed as insufficiently conservative during his primary, with opponents criticizing his willingness to compromise rather than embrace it
Source: Multiple news sources (2026)

What Opponents Say

John Cornyn

Talarico is a 'strange guy who quotes the Bible for support of abortion rights and says God is non-binary'; 'thinks Christians are commanded to put boys in girls' sports'; radically out of touch with Texas values

General election attack focusing on his progressive positions on cultural issues and attempting to undermine his faith authenticity

Ken Paxton

Talarico thinks Christians are commanded to put boys in girls' sports; he is radical and woke

General election attack focusing on cultural conservatism if Paxton wins

National Republican Senatorial Committee

Talarico is 'radically out of touch with Texans and they will not vote for this in November'; his social media posts on race, gender, religion and immigration prove he is too liberal for Texas

Opposition research strategy leveraging his viral videos and old social media against him

Donald Trump

Talarico is 'a terribly weak candidate' who is 'more woke than even the very highly untalented Jasmine Crockett' and would be 'much easier' to defeat in general election

Trump's assessment that Talarico is the weaker of the two Democratic candidates

John Cornyn

Paxton is a 'fraud' who talks tough on crime but lets progressive officials off the hook; his impeachment was not a sham despite his claims; he funnels taxpayer dollars to DEI lawyers; he uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family; his legal troubles prove he is unfit for office

Cornyn's entire primary strategy centers on Paxton's character and legal vulnerabilities, arguing he is 'unelectable' in general election and would drain hundreds of millions in GOP resources

James Talarico (Democratic nominee)

Paxton is part of a corrupt system of GOP billionaires and puppet politicians

General election frame if Paxton wins the runoff

National Republican Senatorial Committee

Paxton's nomination would put the Texas Senate seat at risk and require massive spending to salvage, money that could be used in more competitive states

Senate GOP leadership arguing to Trump that Cornyn is the safer nominee

Ken Paxton

Cornyn is 'anti-Trump,' 'anti-gun,' and insufficiently conservative; has 'turned his back on President Trump and the America First agenda time after time'; criticized Trump's border wall as 'naive'

Paxton's primary strategy is positioning himself as the true Trump loyalist while painting Cornyn as establishment and compromised

Wesley Hunt

Similar criticisms about insufficient conservatism and Trump support, though Hunt did not advance to the runoff

Hunt's presence helped push Cornyn toward the right in the primary

James Talarico (Democratic nominee)

Cornyn has rigged the system to make life more expensive for hardworking Texans and is corrupt

General election frame attacking Cornyn's legislative record on costs and corporate interests

Endorsements

Major Texas newspapersmedia
Joe Roganindividual
Barack Obamaindividual
State Democratic leadersorganization
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)individual
Donald Trumpindividual
Turning Point Actionorganization
Texas Right to Lifeorganization
Conservative base/MAGA votersorganization
Senate Majority Leader John Thuneindividual
Senate Republican leadershiporganization
National Border Patrol Councilorganization
Donald Trumpindividual
Ted Cruz (Texas Junior Senator)individual
View James Talarico's Full Profile →View Ken Paxton's Full Profile →View John Cornyn's Full Profile →