Early voting begins Monday in Texas\u2019 May 26 runoffs, launching the final sprint in a bruising Senate showdown.<\/p>\n
Republicans and Democrats are picking party nominees in a slate of other races, from attorney general to congressional seats that could help determine partisan control in Washington. If no single candidate won at least 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary, the top two finishers head to a runoff.<\/p>\n
Runoffs often are decided by a tiny slice of the electorate, far less than the tally\u00a0in primaries. That has campaigns racing to turn out a relatively small pool of voters. Here\u2019s what to know about the runoff:<\/p>\n
When can I vote?<\/p>\n
Early voting will last just one week, from Monday through Friday, with no weekend hours.<\/p>\n
Am I eligible? \u00a0 <\/p>\n
Voters must choose either the Republican or Democratic runoff. Those who voted in a party\u2019s March primary must stay with that party in the runoff. Those who skipped the March primary can participate in either runoff. The winners advance to November\u2019s general election.<\/p>\n
What are the key Republican races?<\/p>\n
Senate: Incumbent John Cornyn is seeking to fight off a GOP challenge from outgoing Attorney General Ken\u00a0Paxton.\u00a0Cornyn has spent millions on ads targeting the attorney general\u2019s personal conduct, while Paxton has blasted the senator as out-of-touch with the party\u2019s\u00a0MAGA base.<\/p>\n
Attorney general: The race to replace Paxton is hotly contested<\/a>. State Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston took first place in March and is backed by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Austin is endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and many fellow House Republicans.<\/p>\n Railroad commissioner: The chairman of Texas\u2019 oil and gas agency, Jim Wright, is being challenged by Bo French, a conservative who has come under fire from fellow Republicans for incendiary social media posts.<\/p>\n What are the key Democratic races?<\/p>\n Lieutenant governor: State Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin and union representative Marcos Velez are competing to take on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.<\/p>\n Attorney general: State Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas came close to winning the March primary outright but was pushed into a runoff against former Galveston Mayor Joe\u00a0Jaworski.<\/p>\n