On May 26, Texas Republican voters will choose their nominee for the U.S. Senate in a runoff election between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The big picture
The Republican race for U.S. Senate is one of several statewide contests that advanced to May runoffs after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election.
Cornyn and Paxton were the two highest-performing candidates in the eight-way primary race, with Cornyn securing 42% of the vote to Paxton’s 41%.
The winner of the May 26 overtime round will face the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate—state Rep. James Talarico of Austin—in the November midterm election. Third-party and independent candidates may also appear on the November ballot, and the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.
Preparing for the polls
Early voting in Texas’ runoff elections runs from May 18-22. Runoff elections, like primaries, are separated by political party, meaning Texans who voted in one party’s primary this March may only vote in the same party’s runoff. Individuals who did not participate in the March primaries or a third-party nominating convention can vote in either party’s runoff this May.
Runoff election day is May 26. For more information about the state and local races on your runoff ballot, visit communityimpact.com/election.
What you need to know
The original version of this election questionnaire was published Jan. 20, ahead of the March 3 primary election. Community Impact is republishing Q&As for five statewide runoff races, with the goal of providing a side-by-side, equitable resource for Texas voters to review candidates’ perspectives as they prepare to head to the polls this month.
This Q&A was updated to remove the six primary candidates who did not advance to the May 26 runoff, but candidates’ answers were not changed from the originally published article.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been minimally edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
* indicates incumbent candidate
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top priority is serving Texans and keeping our state safe, strong, and prosperous for the next generation. I’ve proudly supported President Trump’s agenda, voting with him over 99% of the time. That means securing the border, enforcing the law, and unleashing the economy through deregulation and smart, pro-growth policies.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
I’ve worked tirelessly to ensure Texans get help when disaster strikes. After Hurricane Harvey, I helped secure billions in recovery funding and authored the Texas Coastal Spine Authorization Act to protect Houston from future storms. I also led calls for a federal disaster declaration after the Central Texas flooding …
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Texas leads the nation in energy because we believe in innovation, free enterprise, and energy independence—principles I proudly advanced alongside President Trump. I worked to roll back regulations, support oil and gas producers, and invest in infrastructure that powers our economy and allies. With smart, pro-growth policies, Texas will remain …
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
I’ve stood up for Texas small businesses by cutting taxes, reducing red tape, and expanding access to capital so they can grow and hire. I was President Trump’s chief vote counter for the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, and I supported the One Stop Shop Compliance Act to simplify federal rules …
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Texas is growing because conservative policies work, but we must keep our economy strong, communities safe, and values intact. That starts with securing the border and restoring the rule of law. We must also support energy producers and invest in infrastructure. If we do that, Texas will remain the best …
What would your top priorities be if elected?
I’m running to take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment and ensure Texas is represented by a relentless champion for our conservative values. My top priorities are supporting President Trump, ensuring we confirm conservative judges, protecting America against foreign enemies like China, and eliminating wasteful spending that’s bankrupting our …
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
I will work tirelessly to ensure Texas is able to access federal funds in the wake of natural disasters and coordinate closely with FEMA, as well as focus both on disaster preparedness prior to natural disasters and long-term recovery aid for the communities affected.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
We must defeat the far-left’s war on American energy, especially industries vital to Texas’s economy like oil and natural gas. By cutting regulation and federal red-tape, we will unleash American energy and ensure Texas remains not only a national energy leader, but also a global leader.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
It’s vital that we cut burdensome regulations and stop the decades of reckless spending that have defined Washington. The catastrophic debt Washington’s saddled us with is an existential threat to growth, economic prosperity, and it drove the Biden inflation that’s still affecting us.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
The biggest challenge, just as it was in the last few years under Biden, is the far-left’s radical agenda as they imported millions of illegals and imposed costly Green New Deal policies on our state. The Left’s an existential threat to our nation and must be completely defeated.