The Dream of Blue Texas Rides Again

"In Texas, where the Party hasn't managed to elect a Democrat as governor or to the Senate in more than thirty years, it nominated its arguably stronger candidate for the general election, and slightly more people voted in the Democratic primary than in the Republican one. I'd call that a good night."

"Within the G.O.P., no one has figured out a way to run other than in his shadow and by seeking his blessing. The public approval of Trump has been in pretty bad decline in the past year—on immigration, the economy, and now his alarming and underexplained war with Iran."

Texas held significant 2026 midterm primary elections with major consequences for Senate control. Democrat James Talarico, a thirty-six-year-old state representative endorsed by figures ranging from Barack Obama to Joe Rogan, defeated U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett. Republicans will proceed to a May runoff between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Democrats achieved a strong night, nominating their arguably stronger general election candidate while slightly more voters participated in the Democratic primary than the Republican one. The results raise questions about whether Trump-backed Republicans can unite behind a candidate and whether Democrats can achieve the historically elusive goal of winning a Texas Senate seat after more than thirty years without statewide Democratic victories.

Read at The New Yorker