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Signs are displayed outside of a voting center during primary election runoff day at Oak Lawn Library on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Voters will settle key runoffs in Texas Tuesday as Republicans and Democrats cast ballots in congressional, statewide and county races<\/a>, including a closely watched showdown for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.<\/p>\n Winners will advance to November\u2019s general election, which could reshape power<\/a> and elevate the next generation of leaders in Texas politics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Voters walk out of a voting center during primary election runoff day at University Park United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News Voters walk out of a voting center during primary election runoff day at University Park United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n The races include a closely watched battle for the Republican Senate nomination between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John\u00a0Cornyn, runoffs in both parties for attorney general and in the North Texas Democratic congressional runoff, U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson is facing a challenge from former U.S. Rep. Colin\u00a0Allred.<\/p>\n Polls closed at 7 p.m. and election results are posted live at dallasnews.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here are live updates as votes are counted.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas Republicans on Tuesday chose Attorney General Ken Paxton’s<\/a> hard-charging MAGA style over Sen. John Cornyn\u2019s seasoned establishment conservatism after one of the state’s most bruising races in years.<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n About an hour after polls closed, the Paxton watch party in Plano exploded with applause and whistles as the senate race was called in his favor.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A DJ raised the volume on the music, blaring Van Halen’s “Jump,” as a few people began dancing and spinning. Paxton supporters walked onto stage, where he’s expected to speak soon.<\/p>\n Vicki Knutson, a Plano resident dressed in an America flag dress and patriotic, sparkly visor, was among those dancing and hugging most everyone who passed her.<\/p>\n “Oh my gosh, I’m just so excited,” she yelled over the music, raising her hands in the air. “Ken Paxton is the No. 1 attorney general in the nation and he’s going to be in D.C. and he’s going to get people in line.”<\/p>\n Democratic Attorney General of Texas candidate Nathan Johnson (facing) receives a congratulatory hug from William Moore during a runoff watch party at Times Ten Cellars in Dallas, May 26, 2026. Johnson is running against Joe Jaworski.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Allred had an early lead<\/a> over incumbent Johnson in Tuesday\u2019s runoff for a newly drawn North Texas district, capping a race that has turned the onetime Democratic allies against each other.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n At a watch party in East Dallas,\u00a0Allred supporters gathered around pizza boxes and bottles of wine as the polls closed.\u00a0Allred staffers gave each other thumbs up as a newscast showed\u00a0Allred ahead from early returns.<\/p>\n Just after 7 p.m., Nathan Johnson and Julie Johnson supports packed into an event space near the Lakewood area.\u00a0<\/p>\n Carol Williams, among those waiting to see how the night would turn out, is appreciative of Johnson as a person.<\/p>\n \u201cShe works hard,\u201d Williams said. \u201cShe focuses on affordability, on housing and health care.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Nathan Johnson walked in to applause about 7:45\u00a0p.m. He said while the results weren\u2019t officially in, \u201cit\u2019s looking pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m feeling very good about this election,\u201d he said, thanking his supporters. \u201cWe\u2019re about to learn something tonight, and that is we have another election to win, and that is in November.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Aria Jones, Chase Rogers and\u00a0Everton Bailey Jr.\u00a0<\/p>\n Supporters of U.S. House Texas District 32-D Julie Johnson, Carol Williams (right) and Anne Marcom watch the early returns come in during a runoff watch party at Times Ten Cellars in Dallas, May 26, 2026. Johnson is in a runoff election with Colin Allred.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n In a marquee U.S. Senate runoff, Cornyn and\u00a0Paxton faced off in one of the state\u2019s most contentious campaigns<\/a>. Paxton advanced to face Democrat James Talarico<\/a> in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The GOP battle was top of mind at polls<\/a> across Dallas County. At Irving City Hall Tuesday, John Callaway climbed the steps to vote, but made a few stops before the ballot box. First he had to hand out peppermint candies to his fellow voters and the election clerks working inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a Republican, Callaway said he cast his vote with his nose plugged in the runoff for U.S. Senate<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI chose the least narcissistic,\u201d he said, while politely declining to name who got his vote.<\/p>\n Bryan Auston, 62, said his decisions weren\u2019t exactly easy on Tuesday, either, but ultimately cast a ballot for Paxton. He said his priority was supporting candidates who are strongest on gun rights.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t vote you don\u2019t have an argument,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Volunteers wave signs outside of Fretz Park library during primary election runoff day, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n At Fretz Park Branch Library in Far North Dallas, Jerry Bissey, 76, cast a ballot for Cornyn.<\/p>\n The decision was tough for Bissey, who said he liked that Paxton\u2019s policy positions were more conservative than Cornyn\u2019s.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t side with Trump nearly enough,\u201d Bissey said of Cornyn.<\/p>\n His choice ultimately came down to the corruption allegations against Paxton and the attorney general\u2019s 2023 impeachment.<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Tracey McManus and Angela Mathew<\/p>\n President Donald Trump\u2019s endorsement of Paxton<\/a> scrambled the final days of Texas\u2019 Republican Senate runoff. Some allies of the attorney general acted as if the endorsement decided the race in Paxton\u2019s favor, while others warned it should not be mistaken for actual votes.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Cornyn, meanwhile, vowed to press on, arguing Texans alone would decide the race<\/a>. Both sides tried to maximize turnout after Trump\u2019s late intervention.<\/p>\n State Sen. Angela Paxton urged Republicans<\/a> to vote in Tuesday\u2019s runoff but stopped short of endorsing anyone in the Senate race featuring the attorney general, her estranged husband. Angela Paxton has filed for divorce from Ken Paxton, accusing him of adultery.<\/p>\n Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and incumbent U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson’s\u00a0intraparty fight<\/a> \u2014 one of the most closely watched this cycle \u2014 for the Dallas-based District 33 stems from a Republican-led redrawing of Texas\u2019 congressional map aimed at maintaining the party\u2019s narrow majority in Washington.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Volunteers wave signs outside of Fretz Park library during primary election runoff day, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n The contest could also change the Democratic lineup in Washington<\/a>, either unseating Johnson after one term or keeping out Allred, the former three-term congressman who vacated the seat and lost a 2024 bid for the Senate.<\/p>\n The district strongly favors Democrats, with the winner all but assured of capturing the congressional seat. Allred finished first in the March primary but fell short of the votes needed to win outright.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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