2026 Texas U.S. Senate Election
Compare candidates’ positions, polling, and sourced race updates.
About this race
Texas voters will elect a U.S. senator on November 3, 2026, for the seat held by John Cornyn, who lost the Republican primary runoff to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Democratic state Representative James Talarico, Paxton, and Libertarian nominee Ted Brown are the active candidates in the general election, which remains upcoming.
The contest is among the most competitive and expensive Senate races in the country: combined advertising spending has topped $240 million, with national Republican groups spending heavily on Paxton's behalf while Talarico has led in campaign fundraising. A Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas in more than 30 years, and the outcome could affect control of the U.S. Senate.
Candidates
Tick Compare on two or more cards to see them side by side.
Ken Paxton is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate and has served as Texas attorney general since 2015, after earlier terms in the Texas House and Texas Senate. He defeated four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the May 2026 Republican primary runoff. His campaign emphasizes border security, tax cuts, energy development, and election integrity, and he is a close ally of President Trump.
James Talarico is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives and the party's 2026 nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas. A former middle-school teacher first elected to the Texas House in 2018, he represents District 50 and won the March 2026 Democratic primary. He campaigns on an economic agenda he calls the "New American Dream," emphasizing higher wages and lower household costs, and frames his positions on abortion and other issues through his Christian faith.
Ted Brown is the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas in 2026. A retired independent insurance adjuster, he has held Libertarian Party leadership roles including chair of the Libertarian Party of California and vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Travis County, and he also ran for the U.S. Senate in Texas in 2024. He campaigns on limited government and personal and economic freedom, presenting himself as an alternative to the two major-party candidates.
Forecast
James Talarico favored
James Talarico: 63% modeled win probability with a +3.0 pts estimated margin
Polling
26 polls, newest firstAbout this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 10, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.