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Texas and North Carolina kicked off the 2026 midterm primary season on Tuesday.
The evening delivered high-profile upsets, including the defeat of Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw, alongside legal disputes over voting access and signs of internal party tension.
Early results ranged from veteran incumbents losing their seats to progressive challengers defeating moderate Democrats in several races, offering a preview of the battles expected ahead of the November elections.
The Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Texas is heading for a runoff after neither candidate secured a majority.
Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn will face Attorney General Ken Paxton on May 26. The result prolongs a costly intraparty contest between Cornyn, a senior member of the Senate, and Paxton, a favorite of MAGA voters.
A third candidate, Representative Wesley Hunt, entered the primary in the fall and complicated the race. Cornyn told reporters in Austin that Paxton would be a “liability” for the party.
Paxton, speaking to supporters in Dallas, countered that while Cornyn has the money, “the people are on our side.”
The Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Talarico remains undecided following confusion in Dallas County.
The disarray began after the local Republican Party opted out of a joint primary agreement, meaning residents had to vote at specific assigned precincts rather than any local voting center.
When a district judge ordered polling places to stay open for two extra hours to accommodate confused voters, the Texas Supreme Court blocked the order. Election officials separated provisional ballots cast by voters who were not already in line by 7 p.m.
Crockett told her supporters that voters had been “disenfranchised.” Talarico stopped short of declaring victory but expressed confidence that he would ultimately prevail once every vote is counted.
While Texas grappled with voting logistics, North Carolina Democrats moved left in several State House primaries.
Three progressive challengers ousted longtime incumbents who had previously sided with Republicans on key policy fights.
In Charlotte, the Rev. Dr. Rodney S. Sadler Jr. defeated State Representative Carla D. Cunningham after she joined Republicans on a mandate requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration agents.
Also in Charlotte, Veleria M. Levy defeated Nasif Majeed, who had cast the tiebreaking vote on legislation recognizing only two sexes. In the rural northeast, Patricia Smith unseated Shelley Willingham, who had cast a deciding vote allowing private schools to arm teachers.
These victories are expected to strengthen the position of Gov. Josh Stein, whose vetoes were frequently overridden with the help of these moderate lawmakers.
One of the night’s most notable results came from Texas’ congressional races, where Rep. Dan Crenshaw became the first sitting member to lose a primary this season.
Crenshaw, who lacked an endorsement from President Donald Trump, lost to state legislator Steve Toth. Toth attacked the incumbent for breaking with the president on several issues.
Meanwhile, in South Texas, Latin Grammy-winning Tejano singer Bobby Pulido won the Democratic primary for the 15th Congressional District. Pulido, a moderate, defeated progressive emergency room doctor Ada Cuellar.
Pulido will now face Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz, who flipped the district in 2022.
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