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Supporter Sheila Hernandez cheers early election results during a primary runoff election night watch party for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Senate candidate, in Plano, Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
From poll to poll in Tuesday\u2019s runoff, voters were torn in the race between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Republican Senate nomination<\/a>, reflecting the turmoil at the top of the Texas GOP.<\/p>\n Paxton defeated Cornyn in the Republican primary, which became one of the\u00a0nastiest state campaigns<\/a> in years and shifted sharply in its final days after President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton. The attorney general will advance to face Democrat James Talarico in November.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Voters across Dallas County came to the polls to help decide the bitter contest<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In University Park, Nancy Cates cast her ballot for Cornyn. Cates, 84, said Cornyn had represented Texas well during his more than 20-year tenure as \u201ca good conservative senator.\u201d<\/p>\n Cates\u2019 support for the incumbent is also driven by her disapproval of corruption allegations<\/a> against Paxton.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m repulsed by him,\u201d Cates said of Paxton.<\/p>\n At Fretz Park Branch Library in Far North Dallas, Jerry Bissey, 76, also cast a ballot for the incumbent.<\/p>\n The decision was tough for Bissey, who said he liked that Paxton\u2019s policy positions were more conservative than Cornyn\u2019s.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t side with Trump nearly enough,\u201d Bissey said of Cornyn.<\/p>\n His choice ultimately came down to the corruption allegations against Paxton and the attorney general\u2019s 2023 impeachment<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not real happy with this vote, but I just couldn\u2019t overcome the ethics issue with Paxton,\u201d Bissey said.<\/p>\n At the same polling place, Melanie Wright, 75, cast her ballot for Paxton and said she would have voted for him even if Trump hadn\u2019t endorsed him. She views\u00a0Cornyn, who has held the seat since 2002, as ineffectual.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI was tired of John Cornyn,\u201d Wright said. \u201cHe\u2019s been living on his laurels a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Volunteers wave signs outside of Fretz Park library during primary election runoff day, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Wright, a retired attorney, said she appreciated that Paxton has been an \u201caggressive\u201d attorney general, filing lawsuits against big companies. She said that the corruption allegations that led to Paxton\u2019s 2023 impeachment didn\u2019t influence her vote because she said the candidate was \u201cvindicated\u201d when the Senate acquitted him.\u00a0<\/p>\n Wright\u2019s support was also not affected by State Sen. Angela Paxton\u2019s filing<\/a> for divorce from the attorney general and accusing him of adultery. Cornyn\u2019s campaign has highlighted the accusations in attack ads.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re not electing a preacher,\u201d Wright said.\u00a0<\/p>\n At a Paxton watch party inside a Plano hotel Tuesday evening, Sheila Hernandez stood with her daughter-in-law near the stage where Paxton was expected to speak<\/a> later in the night. Hernandez, dressed in an American flag button up, jeans, cowboy boots and other patriotic accessories, voted early for Paxton, who she praised as always being “wonderful in his position.”<\/p>\n “We need positive change,” Hernandez said. “We’re just not seeing much positivity right now in Texas and we’re hoping that change is coming with Paxton.\u201d<\/p>\n At Irving City Hall Tuesday, John Callaway climbed the steps to vote, but made a few stops before the ballot box. First he had to hand out peppermint candies to his fellow voters and the election clerks working inside.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Voters walk out of a voting center during primary election runoff day at University Park United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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