James Talarico (D), Ken Paxton (R), and five other candidates are running in the general election for U.S. Senate in Texas on November 3, 2026
Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton are among seven candidates competing for Texas's U.S. Senate seat in the November 2026 general election. Paxton defeated incumbent Republican John Cornyn in the GOP primary runoff. Election forecasters rate the general election as Likely Republican as of May 2026.
Key Points
- Ken Paxton won the Republican primary runoff, eliminating longtime incumbent John Cornyn from the race
- Seven candidates total are competing in the general election, with Democrat Talarico as the main Democratic challenger
- Forecasters currently favor Republicans to win the seat in November 2026