Who Is Running for Senate in Texas in 2026?
Three candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for U.S. Senate in Texas: Republican Ken Paxton, Democrat James Talarico, and Libertarian Ted Brown. The seat is open. Sen. John Cornyn, who has held it since 2002, lost the Republican nomination to Paxton in a May 26 runoff (Ballotpedia).
Candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot
Source: Ballotpedia, U.S. Senate election in Texas, 2026
Four independents are certified as write-in candidates: Avery Ayers, Bradford Hall, Zul Mohamed, Jade Simmons. This page covers the U.S. Senate seat. The Texas Senate, the state’s upper legislative chamber, also has seats on the November ballot; your county’s sample ballot lists yours.
Key facts
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The last day to register is Monday, October 5.
- Talarico led in three named September polls by 1 to 6 points.
- Talarico reported about 7 times as much money raised as Paxton through June 30, per the FEC.
- No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1988.
- 63.8%
- Paxton's share in the May 26 runoff over Cornyn
- 52.4%
- Talarico's share in the March 3 Democratic primary
- +1 to +6
- Talarico lead in three named September polls
- $68.6 million
- Talarico raised through June 30, versus $9.2 million for Paxton
Talarico vs. Paxton Polls
In three September polls from named pollsters, Talarico led Paxton by 1 to 6 points. Two of the three leads are smaller than the poll’s stated margin of error. Polls are snapshots of the weeks they were taken, and the numbers below are checked weekly until the election.
Texas U.S. Senate polls, as of September 28, 2026
Marist Poll
Texas Southern University
Trafalgar Group, labeled Republican-leaning in the Texas Tribune poll tracker
The Marist Poll also asked voters who they think will win, regardless of whom they back. 52% said Paxton and 43% said Talarico (Marist Poll). Polling averages, such as those kept by the Texas Tribune and RealClearPolitics, shift as new polls come in; the individual polls above list their size and margin so you can judge each one.
Who Won the Texas Senate Primaries?
James Talarico won the Democratic primary outright on March 3, and Ken Paxton won the Republican nomination in a May 26 runoff. Paxton beat Cornyn by 384,758 votes, 63.8% to 36.2%.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Ken Paxton: 888,196 votes | 63.8% |
| John Cornyn: 503,438 votes | 36.2% |
Source: Ballotpedia, certified results. Percentages derived from certified vote counts.
In the March 3 Republican primary, Cornyn finished first with 42% and Paxton second with 40.5%, which sent them to a runoff because no one reached 50%. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt was third with 13.5%.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| James Talarico: 1,216,412 votes | 52.4% |
| Jasmine Crockett: 1,071,900 votes | 46.2% |
| Ahmad Hassan: 30,875 votes | 1.3% |
Source: Ballotpedia, certified results. Percentages derived from certified vote counts.
More Texans voted in the Democratic Senate primary than the Republican one. 2,319,187 votes were cast in the Democratic race and 2,166,910 in the Republican race, a gap of 152,277. Primary turnout does not predict November results, but it is one of the few hard numbers from this cycle.
Who Is James Talarico?
James Talarico is a Democratic state representative and a former public school teacher. He was born in Round Rock, holds a government degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s in education policy from Harvard, and was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 (Ballotpedia).
- Elected to the Texas House Elected to the Texas House from District 52, defeating Republican Cynthia Flores. He had worked as a public school teacher.
- Reelected Reelected in District 52 over Republican Lucio Valdez.
- Begins representing District 50 Took office representing District 50. His House term ends January 12, 2027, and he did not seek reelection.
- Wins the Democratic primary Won the Democratic U.S. Senate primary with 52.4% of the vote over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (46.2%) and Ahmad Hassan (1.3%), avoiding a runoff.
- Files midyear FEC report Reported $68.6 million raised for the cycle to the FEC, the most of any candidate in the race.
- Endorsed by a Paxton whistleblower Endorsed by David Maxwell, one of the former Paxton aides who won the whistleblower judgment against the attorney general's office.
Sources: Ballotpedia; FEC; Texas Tribune. Record checked September 28, 2026.
James Talarico's public record: November 6, 2018: Elected to the Texas House (Elected to the Texas House from District 52, defeating Republican Cynthia Flores. He had worked as a public school teacher.). November 3, 2020: Reelected (Reelected in District 52 over Republican Lucio Valdez.). January 10, 2023: Begins representing District 50 (Took office representing District 50. His House term ends January 12, 2027, and he did not seek reelection.). March 3, 2026: Wins the Democratic primary (Won the Democratic U.S. Senate primary with 52.4% of the vote over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (46.2%) and Ahmad Hassan (1.3%), avoiding a runoff.). June 30, 2026: Files midyear FEC report (Reported $68.6 million raised for the cycle to the FEC, the most of any candidate in the race.). September 8, 2026: Endorsed by a Paxton whistleblower (Endorsed by David Maxwell, one of the former Paxton aides who won the whistleblower judgment against the attorney general's office.).
He is not running for reelection to the Texas House, so his House term ends in January 2027 whatever happens in the Senate race.
Who Is Ken Paxton?
Ken Paxton is the Republican attorney general of Texas, in office since 2015, and the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. He served in the Texas House and Senate before that. His time as attorney general included a 2015 securities fraud indictment, dismissed in 2025 after he met the terms of a deal, and a 2023 impeachment by the Texas House that ended in acquittal by the Texas Senate. He has not admitted wrongdoing. Our Texas attorney general page has the full sourced record.
- Sworn in as attorney general Sworn in as the 51st attorney general after serving in the Texas House (2003-2013) and Senate (2013-2015).
- Indicted on securities charges Indicted on state securities fraud charges tied to the sale of Servergy stock before he took office. He pleaded not guilty.
- Impeached by the Texas House Impeached by the Texas House, 121-23, on 20 articles, and suspended from office.
- Acquitted by the Texas Senate Acquitted by the Texas Senate on all 16 articles tried. The most votes to convict on any article was 14 of the 21 needed.
- Securities charges dismissed The securities charges were dismissed after he completed the deal's terms.
- Wins the Senate runoff Won the Republican U.S. Senate runoff over Sen. John Cornyn, 63.8% to 36.2%.
Sources: Office of the Attorney General; Ballotpedia; Texas Tribune. Record checked September 27, 2026.
Ken Paxton's public record, key dates: January 5, 2015: Sworn in as attorney general (Sworn in as the 51st attorney general after serving in the Texas House (2003-2013) and Senate (2013-2015).). July 31, 2015: Indicted on securities charges (Indicted on state securities fraud charges tied to the sale of Servergy stock before he took office. He pleaded not guilty.). May 27, 2023: Impeached by the Texas House (Impeached by the Texas House, 121-23, on 20 articles, and suspended from office.). September 16, 2023: Acquitted by the Texas Senate (Acquitted by the Texas Senate on all 16 articles tried. The most votes to convict on any article was 14 of the 21 needed.). June 18, 2025: Securities charges dismissed (The securities charges were dismissed after he completed the deal's terms.). May 26, 2026: Wins the Senate runoff (Won the Republican U.S. Senate runoff over Sen. John Cornyn, 63.8% to 36.2%.).
How Much Money Has Each Campaign Raised?
Through June 30, 2026, Talarico’s campaign reported raising $68.6 million, about 7 times Paxton’s $9.2 million. Talarico had $21.5 million in cash on hand to Paxton’s $1.8 million (FEC). These are the candidates’ own committees only. Party committees and outside groups spend separately and are not counted here.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| James Talarico (D) | million68.6 |
| Ken Paxton (R) | million9.2 |
| Ted Brown (L) | million0 |
Source: Federal Election Commission candidate totals, checked September 28, 2026. Reports covering July through September are due October 15, 2026.
Candidate committee finances through June 30, 2026
Source: Federal Election Commission, 2026 Senate Texas
Past Texas Senate Races
Republicans won the last two U.S. Senate races in Texas by 9.6 and 8.5 points. Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 2020: John Cornyn over MJ Hegar | 9.6 |
| 2024: Ted Cruz over Colin Allred | 8.5 |
Source: Texas Secretary of State, official results. Margin is the winner's share minus the runner-up's.
Key Dates
- Primaries Talarico wins the Democratic nomination outright. Cornyn and Paxton go to a runoff.
- Republican runoff Paxton defeats Cornyn.
- Registration deadline Last day to register to vote.
- FEC quarterly reports due Campaign money through September 30.
- Early voting begins Runs through Friday, October 30.
- Election Day Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- New term begins The winner takes the seat Cornyn has held since 2002.
Sources: Ballotpedia; Texas Secretary of State; Federal Election Commission.
Texas Senate race calendar, 2026: March 3, 2026: Primaries (Talarico wins the Democratic nomination outright. Cornyn and Paxton go to a runoff.). May 26, 2026: Republican runoff (Paxton defeats Cornyn.). October 5, 2026: Registration deadline (Last day to register to vote.). October 15, 2026: FEC quarterly reports due (Campaign money through September 30.). October 19, 2026: Early voting begins (Runs through Friday, October 30.). November 3, 2026: Election Day (Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). January 3, 2027: New term begins (The winner takes the seat Cornyn has held since 2002.).
In July the two campaigns said they were negotiating up to three debates (WFAA). Check back here for dates once they are set.
How to Vote in the Senate Race
Register by Monday, October 5, bring one of seven accepted photo IDs, and vote early from October 19 to 30 or on November 3. Every Texas voter sees the Senate race on the ballot. Our Texas voting guide covers registration, the ID rules, mail ballots, and the 2026 registration backlog.
Need help at the polls? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). If anyone is in danger, call 911.
Texas Senate Race Questions
Who is running for Senate in Texas in 2026?
Republican Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general; Democrat James Talarico, a state representative; and Libertarian Ted Brown are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for U.S. Senate. Four independents are running as write-in candidates. The seat is open because Sen. John Cornyn lost the Republican runoff to Paxton.
Who is winning the Texas Senate race?
No one yet. The election is November 3, 2026. In September polls from Marist, Texas Southern University and Trafalgar, Talarico led by 1 to 6 points, within or near each poll’s margin of error.
Who won the Texas Senate primary?
James Talarico won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026 with 52.4% over Jasmine Crockett. On the Republican side, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton advanced to a runoff, and Paxton won it on May 26 with 63.8% of the vote.
Who is James Talarico?
James Talarico is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives and a former public school teacher. He was first elected in 2018 and now represents District 50. He is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2026.
Who won the Texas Senate race in 2024?
Republican Ted Cruz won reelection in 2024 with 53.05% of the vote to Democrat Colin Allred’s 44.56%, according to the Texas Secretary of State. Cruz’s seat is not on the ballot in 2026.
When is the Texas Senate election?
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting runs from October 19 through October 30, and the deadline to register is Monday, October 5.
What You Can Do
- Check your registration before October 5. Our Texas voting guide links the state’s lookup.
- Read the candidates’ records, not the ads. The timelines above link each fact to its source; the FEC page for the race shows who is funding each campaign.
- Watch the October 15 FEC reports for the money raised from July through September.
- Vote early. Early voting runs October 19 to 30 at any site in your county.