Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Republican primary runoff
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said President Trump’s support “gives the Texas Senate race a little bit of momentum.”
Fox – 7 Austin
The winner of the most expensive Senate primary in U.S. history has been decided.
On Tuesday, May 26, Attorney General Ken Paxton won Texas’ Republican Senate runoff election, confirming President Donald Trump’s victory. Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn, a four-term congressman who has been supported by and at times opposed to Trump. Mr. Paxton’s victory in the senior legislative bid marks a broader move by the president to purge his critics within the Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm elections.
“Now that we have a candidate, one thing is certain: Texas is going to have a big, messy and expensive election this year,” said Josh Blank, research director at the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.
Here are the results of the Texas Senate and House runoff elections and why they represent a big change in politics in the Lone Star State.
Who won the Texas Republican runoff?
Paxton finished the day with 63.8% of the vote, for an estimated 98% vote count, according to the Associated Press and CNN. The winner will face Democrat James Talarico in the November election, forcing Texans to choose between a MAGA ally and a liberal with a growing national profile.
“Democrats are going to be faced with the fact that Paxton is a very effective campaigner who knows how to mobilize the Republican base,” Blank said. “He just defeated a four-term incumbent while significantly outspending.”
Blank said it will be interesting to see if Cornyn’s supporters vote for Paxton in November. But he says it could be costly for Paxton if voters choose someone else.
And the struggle in the spring to secure candidates was not cheap. AdImpact said it spent more than $110 million on advertising. Cornyn outspent Paxton, spending $64 million versus $3.6 million, respectively.
Texas House runoff election results
Runoff elections were held May 26th in congressional districts across the Lone Star State. According to the Associated Press and CNN, the results are as follows: Candidates will head to the November elections for seats in the National Assembly.
Democratic Party Congressional Runoff Election
- District 1: Yolanda Prince (72.3% of the vote) defeated Dax Alexander (27.7% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 97%.
- 5th ward: Chelsea Hockett (53% of the vote) defeated Ruth Torres (47% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 99%.
- District 14: This race between Richard Davis and Thurman Bill Barty has not yet been called.
- District 17: Casey Shepard (59.9% of the vote) defeated Mira Flores (40.1% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 97%.
- 18 districts: Christian D. Menefe (69.4% of the vote) defeated incumbent Al Green (30.6% of the vote) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- district 24: With an estimated vote count of 99%, Kevin Burge (78.1% of the votes) defeated TJ Ware (21.9% of the votes).
- district 33: Colin Allred (53.9% of the vote) defeated incumbent Julie Johnson (46.1%) with an estimated 99% vote count.
- district 35: Johnny Garcia (63.8% of the vote) defeated Maureen Galindo (36.2% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 99%.
Republican Congressional Runoff Election
- district 7: Alexander Hale (64.3% of the vote) defeated Tina Cohen (35.7%) with an estimated vote count of 72%.
- district 9: Alex Mealor (68.3% of the vote) defeated Briscoe Cain (31.7% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 74%.
- District 16: Adam Bauman (68.6% of the vote) defeated Manuel J. Barraza (31.4% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 99%.
- District 19: With an estimated 99% vote count, Tom Sell (64.3% of the vote) defeated Abraham Henriques (35.7%).
- district 23: Tony Gonzalez vs. Brandon Herrera (Gonzalez withdrew from the race).
- district 30: Everett Jackson (57.5% of the vote) defeated Shodon Daniels (42.5% of the vote) with an estimated 99% vote count.
- district 32: Ryan Binkley vs. Jace Yarbrough. (According to the Texas Tribune, Binkley has withdrawn from the race.)
- district 33: Patrick David Gillespie (57.1% of the vote) defeated John Sims (42.9% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 99%.
- district 35: Carlos de la Cruz (57.6% of the vote) defeated John Luján (42.4% of the vote) with an estimated vote count of 99%.
- district 37: With an estimated vote count of 99%, Lauren B. Peña (58.2% of the vote) defeated Genell Gary (41.8% of the vote).
- district 38: With an estimated vote count of 98%, John Bonk (64.8% of the vote) defeated Sherry Dezeballos (35.3% of the vote).
Texas’ “end of an era”
Blake Farrar, an associate professor of political science at Texas State University, said that although Mr. Paxton and other names were on the ballot, Mr. Trump was the real winner of Tuesday’s race.
“Trump’s influence with Republican voters remains strong in Texas, and the MAGA wing of the party has won a major battle,” Farrar said. “It clearly feels like the end of an era in Texas politics.”
The other Texas incumbent defeated on Tuesday was Democratic Rep. Al Green, who lost to Christian Menefe in the 18th District House runoff election. Greene has been serving in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021.
“Texas lost two long-time Washington stalwarts and decades of seniority,” Farrar said.
Contributor: Philip Bailey
