An early look at the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas

By

Joseph Brusgard

Voters in Texas will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 3, 2026.

Cook Political Report‘s Jessica Taylor wrote, “Texas isn’t initially a top Democratic target, but the minority party only has two obvious offensive opportunities in North Carolina and Maine. In order to find a way to flip the four seats they need to regain the majority… they need to put one of the other double-digit Trump states in play.”

As of April 30, two noteworthy candidates have declared their candidacies:

  • Incumbent John Cornyn (R) is running for re-election for a fifth term. He was most recently elected in 2020 with 53% of the vote. Cornyn has campaigned on continuing to work with President Donald Trump (R), saying, “In President Trump’s first term, I was Republican whip, delivering the votes for his biggest wins. Now I’m running for reelection… so President Trump and I can pick up where we left off.”
  • Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced his candidacy on April 8, 2025. He is campaigning on bringing new leadership to the Senate and said, “It’s definitely time for a change in Texas. We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Trump.”

In addition to Cornyn and Paxton, other candidates have either discussed or received media attention over their potential entry:

  • Former U.S. Rep and 2024 Democratic nominee for Senate Colin Allred (D) said in March 2025 of a potential bid, “I’m looking at it and seriously considering it. This is a time for everybody to realize just what’s at stake and how important it is that we all stay involved.”
  • According to reporting by the Associated Press, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R) has reportedly discussed entering with Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and a PAC has run ads across the state about Hunt’s biography.
  • Former U.S. Rep and 2018 Democratic nominee for Senate Beto O’Rourke (D) said when asked at an April 2025 town hall: “If it comes to pass that this is what the people of Texas want, that it’s the highest and best use of what I can give to you, then yes I will [run].”

Texas’ congressional delegation to the U.S. House is comprised of 25 Republicans and 12 Democrats. The state’s Senate delegation is represented by two Republicans, Cornyn and Ted Cruz. The last Democrat to represent the state in the Senate was Robert Kruger (D), who left office in 1993. In 2024, Cruz was re-elected 53% to 45%. To read more about historical members of Congress from Texas, click here.

Texas has voted for the Republican candidate for president since 1980. The last Democrat to win the state was Jimmy Carter (D) in 1976. In 2024, Donald Trump (R) defeated Kamala Harris (D) 56% to 42%. In 2020, Trump defeated Joe Biden (D) 52% to 46%.

To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.