Key Facts

• Ken Paxton is projected to win the Republican Senate nomination in Texas by defeating Senator John Cornyn.
• Paxton will run against Democrat James Talarico in the November general election.
• A Democrat has not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994 or a Senate race since 1988.
• Cornyn, a four-term senator, received more votes in the initial primary but lost the runoff to Paxton.
• President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton and praised his loyalty while criticizing Cornyn’s past support.
• The Senate GOP campaign spent millions to try to stop Paxton from winning the primary.
• Paxton has a history of legal troubles, including a 2015 securities fraud indictment and a 2023 impeachment by the Texas House, though he was acquitted by the Senate.
• Paxton was involved in challenging the 2020 presidential election results, but the Supreme Court rejected that effort.