In the March 3 primary, Texas Republican voters cast ballots for several of the state’s highest offices. On the ballot are an eight-way U.S. Senate race; 38 congressional seats; open seats for state attorney general and comptroller; and several other statewide offices.
The overview
Over 1.2 million Republicans voted early, data from the secretary of state shows, while nearly 1.4 million Democrats cast early ballots. Turnout figures from election day were not available as of press time.
Community Impact is tracking the results of eight statewide races in Texas’ Republican primary. The winner of each race will advance to the November midterm election, facing the Democratic nominee for the seat and potential third-party candidates.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in a race, the two highest vote-getters will face each other in a May 26 runoff election.
With 46 of Texas’ 254 counties reporting early voting results, see who’s leading each Republican primary race and get to know the candidates. Find more results from contested local and state races at communityimpact.com/voter-guide and on the secretary of state’s website.
Cornyn takes narrow lead in eight-way U.S. Senate race
According to unofficial early results, incumbent John Cornyn is narrowly leading a tight Republican primary race for U.S. Senate.
As of press time, Cornyn had 41.21% of the early vote, slightly above outgoing state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 40.04%. Wesley Hunt, a Republican congressman from Houston, had 14.68% of the early vote.
Cornyn faces seven primary challengers in his bid for a fifth term as Texas’ senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators serving staggered six-year terms—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.
Other results in the race were as follows:
- Gulrez “Gus” Khan with 1.13%
- Sara Canady with 1.1%
- Anna Bender with 1.09%
- Virgil John Bierschwale with 0.39%
- John O. Adefope with 0.36%
During a Feb. 27 speech in Corpus Christi, President Donald Trump said the GOP primary race for U.S. Senate would be “an interesting one,” thanking Cornyn, Paxton and Hunt for their work. Trump did not endorse a candidate in the race.
Early results show Greg Abbott leading governor’s race by 72-point margin
Greg Abbott is leading the Republican primary race for Texas governor with 82.99% of the vote, unofficial early results show. Abbott, the incumbent, is seeking a fourth term as the state’s top elected official.
As of press time, Abbott’s 10 primary challengers had the following portions of the early vote:
- Pete “Doc” Chambers had 10.62%
- Evelyn Brooks had 2.08%
- Arturo Espinosa had 0.99%
- Kenneth Hyde had 0.66%
- Charles Andrew Crouch had 0.57%
- Nathaniel Welch had 0.54%
- Ronnie Tullos had 0.46%
- Stephen Samuelson had 0.41%
- R.F. “Bob” Achgill had 0.35%
- Mark V. Goloby had 0.33%
Dan Patrick takes early lead for lieutenant governor
According to unofficial early results, Dan Patrick is leading the Republican primary race for lieutenant governor with 85.71% of the vote. Patrick is seeking his fourth term as head of the Texas Senate and second-in-command to the governor.
As of press time, Timothy Mabry trailed Patrick with 8.23% of the early vote. Perla Muñoz Hopkins had 4.87% of the vote and Esala Wueschner had 1.2% of the vote.
Middleton leading Texas attorney general race, early results show
Early results show state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, leading the four-way Republican primary race for Texas attorney general. The office is open as incumbent Ken Paxton runs for U.S. Senate, ushering in a fresh face as the state’s top legal officer.
As of press time, Middleton had 40.11% of the early vote, leading Congressman Chip Roy, R-Austin, who had 31.45% of the vote.
Aaron Reitz, a former Department of Justice lawyer who also worked in Paxton’s office, had 15.16% of the vote. State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, had 13.29% of the vote.
Huffines takes 35-point lead in Texas comptroller race
According to unofficial early results, businessman Don Huffines is leading the race to be the Republican nominee for state comptroller. Huffines had 58.44% of the vote as of press time, while Kelly Hancock trailed with 23.27% of the early vote.
The comptroller’s office is open after former state comptroller Glenn Hegar stepped down in July to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Hancock, a former state senator, currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running for a four-year term, although he is not considered the incumbent in the race.
Other candidates in the race include Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, who had 15.48% of the early vote, and Michael Berlanga, who had 2.81% of the early vote.
The comptroller is tasked with overseeing government spending, projecting Texas’ biennial budget for state legislators, reporting on statewide economic issues, and managing the state treasury and unclaimed property programs. Hancock’s office also recently launched the state’s new education savings account program, as mandated by the Texas Legislature.
Buckingham waits to face Democratic challenger in November
Early results show incumbent Dawn Buckingham has 135,586 votes in the Republican primary race for general land commissioner.
Buckingham, who is seeking a second four-year term, is running uncontested. She will face the Democratic nominee for land commissioner in the November midterm election.
The General Land Office manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the state’s Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as the Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs. The GLO is Texas’ oldest state agency, according to its website.
Sheets takes early lead for agriculture commissioner
According to unofficial early results, businessman Nate Sheets is leading the race for the Republican primary nomination for state agriculture commissioner.
Sheets had 55.82% of the early vote over incumbent Sid Miller’s 44.18%. Sheets is endorsed by Abbott, while Miller is endorsed by Trump.
The Texas Department of Agriculture’s duties include administering federal nutrition programs and grants; facilitating trade of agricultural products; protecting crops from pests and diseases; providing financial assistance to farmers and rural communities; and conducting consumer protection programs, according to the agency’s website.
Early results show French leading railroad commission race
Former Tarrant County Republican Party chair Bo French is leading the five-way Republican primary race for the Texas Railroad Commission, unofficial early results show.
As of press time, French had 34.47% of the early vote over incumbent Jim Wright’s 30.99%. James “Jim” Matlock was in third place with 18.46% of the vote, while Katherine Culbert had 8.93% of the vote and Hawk Dunlap had 7.15%.
The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, according to its website, while the state’s railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government. Texas has three railroad commissioners who are elected to staggered six-year terms.
What’s next?
Community Impact will update this article as election day vote totals are released. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide to see results from all contested local and state elections in your community.