In the Texas Republican Senate runoff election held on May 26, 2026, state Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn, according to verified results from the Texas Secretary of State. Paxton, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, secured approximately 55% of the vote to Cornyn's 45%, with over 95% of precincts reporting.
The race was widely seen as a test of Trump's influence within the Republican Party. Trump campaigned for Paxton, who has been a vocal ally on election integrity issues, while Cornyn, a three-term senator, had drawn criticism from some conservatives for his role in certifying the 2020 election results.
Paxton's victory sets up a general election contest against Democratic nominee MJ Hegar, a former Air Force pilot who won her primary runoff earlier in the evening. The general election will be held on November 3, 2026.
In other Texas runoff results, Republican incumbent Governor Greg Abbott easily defeated challenger Don Huffines, securing over 65% of the vote. Abbott will face Democrat Beto O'Rourke in November, who won his primary runoff against Mike Collier.
