Here's what we learned from the action-packed Texas primaries

[marmar]

(Texas Tribune) Texas’ March 2026 primaries were extraordinarily contentious and costly, and many of the biggest battles are going into overtime, teeing up another 12 weeks of bruising attacks and high-dollar spending ahead of the May 26 runoff.

The state’s two blockbuster Senate primaries dominated the airwaves. After a record-setting advertising blitz, GOP incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing a runoff with Attorney General Ken Paxton, while Austin state Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nomination.

Further down the ballot, chaos reigned, as big money shifted several races in the final weeks; President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott lined up behind opposing candidates, with mixed results; and several longtime incumbents were unseated or forced into career-threatening runoffs.

The lack of decisive outcomes Tuesday night, for individual races and for dueling wings of the Texas GOP, promises an equally intense runoff season — and a long, expensive eight months until the general. .....................(more)

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/04/texas-primaries-2026-takeaways-senate-trump-cornyn-paxton-talarico-congress/