"Republicans and Democrats alike face a high-stakes choice that could set the stage for one of the fiercest Senate races of the 2026 midterm cycle. At the center of the fractious Republican contest is a clash between the party's old guard and a Maga culture warrior, with four-term incumbent John Cornyn, a conservative fixture of Senate leadership locked in the fight of his political career against the state's scandal-plagued attorney general, Ken Paxton."
"Democrats, meanwhile, are waging their own internal battle a race between two rising liberal stars: Austin-based state senator, James Talarico, who grounds his Bernie Sanders-style populism in biblical teachings and Representative Jasmine Crockett, a civil rights attorney and liberal media darling known for her sharp-tongued clapbacks to Republicans. It has been three decades since Democrats last won a statewide election in Texas. In 2024, Donald Trump dominated the state, widening his margin of victory with the support of Hispanic voters."
Early voting for Texas's 3 March primaries launches a high-stakes contest that could influence the 2026 Senate landscape. Republicans confront an intraparty clash between establishment four-term senator John Cornyn and embattled attorney general Ken Paxton, a MAGA culture warrior. Democrats run a contested primary between Austin state senator James Talarico, who blends populism with biblical themes, and Representative Jasmine Crockett, a civil rights attorney and media figure. Democrats have not won a statewide race in three decades. Trump's 2024 dominance, aided by Hispanic voters, contrasts with recent sagging approval and backlash over deportation policy, creating an opening. Recent Democratic special-election gains and warnings from Republican leaders signal significant headwinds for GOP prospects.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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