Texas Republicans head to the polls Tuesday for primary runoff elections featuring blockbuster contests for U.S. Senate and attorney general.
The May 26 runoff follows the March 3 primary in which a handful of races failed to produce a winner with more than 50 percent of the vote.
U.S. Senate: Paxton vs. Cornyn
The marquee race pits four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn against Attorney General Ken Paxton in what has become a referendum on Texas GOP politics. Cornyn narrowly led Paxton in the March primary, 42.5 percent to 40.8 percent, after U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt’s entry split the vote and forced a runoff.
President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton just one day after early voting began.
Recent polling from the University of Houston shows Paxton leading Cornyn 48 percent to 45 percent, with 7 percent undecided.
Attorney General: Middleton vs. Roy
State Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston faces U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Austin in the race to replace Paxton. Middleton finished first in the March primary with 39 percent, compared to Roy’s 32 percent.
The contest has focused on who is more conservative and loyal to Trump. Middleton has attacked Roy for voting to certify the 2020 election and questioned his MAGA credentials, while Roy has hammered Middleton’s lack of legal experience and called him unqualified to lead the attorney general’s office.
Roy’s campaign claims internal polling shows the race is now tied after a late infusion of cash. UH polling gives Middleton a wider lead, 48 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent undecided.
Railroad Commission: Wright vs. French
Incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright faces challenger Bo French in a race that has attracted significant donor money, with Wright receiving half-a-million dollars from the casino lobby while French has been heavily backed by conservative PAÇs.
Wright leads French 35 percent to 28 percent in recent polling, though 37 percent of likely voters remain undecided.
Court of Criminal Appeals: Smith vs. Fox
Thomas Smith and Alison Fox are facing off for the open Texas Court of Criminal Appeals seat for Place 3. The CCA is the state’s highest criminal court.
Fox, a staff attorney at the Court of Criminal Appeals, led the March primary with 31.3 percent of the vote. Smith, an assistant attorney general in Ken Paxton’s office who previously served as Paxton’s counsel when he was a state senator, finished close behind with 30.7 percent.
Congressional Races
In West Texas, Tom Sell and Abraham Enriquez are running for Texas’ 19th Congressional District to replace U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington. Sell has the backing of several agriculture groups while Enriquez has received the support of Gov. Greg Abbott.
In Houston, Alexandra Del Moral Mealer and State Rep. Briscoe Cain are competing for the Republican nomination for Texas’ 9th Congressional District.
Mealer, who took first place in the March Primary election with 36.6 percent of the vote, has received the backing of President Trump. Cain, who came in second at 30.8 percent, has the support of Gov. Abbott.
Other GOP races include Alexander Hale versus Tina Cohen in CD 7, Manuel Barraza versus Adam Bauman in CD 16, Everett Jackson versus Sholden Daniels in CD 30, Patrick David Gillespie versus John Sims in CD 33, John Lujan verus Carlos De La Cruz in CD 35, Ge’Nell Gary versus Lauren Pena in CD 37, and Jon Bonck versus Shelly deZevallos in CD 38.
Legislative Races
Kelly Peterson and Stan Stanart are facing off for the Republican nomination for House District 126 in the Houston area. Incumbent State Rep. Sam Harless did not run for re-election.
Other GOP races include Marcus Cardenas versus Robert Marks Jr. for Senate District 19, Celeste Cabrera-Huff versus Nehemias Gomez for House District 40, and Gary Groves versus Sergio Sanchez for House District 41.
Election
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, May 26. Voters who participated in the March primary can only vote in their party’s runoff.
The runoff winners will advance to the November 3 general election.
