The New York Times

How the Texas Senate Primary Is a Test for Each Party

The Texas U.S. Senate primary has become the opening act of the 2026 midterm cycle, offering a vivid laboratory for how each party will frame its national narrative. Incumbent John Cornyn embodies the fading breed of Texas Republicans who combined fiscal conservatism with occasional bipartisan compromise, while Attorney General Ken Paxton doubles down on combative, anti‑Democrat messaging despite a record of legal and ethical controversies. Four contenders illustrate starkly different playbooks. Cornyn leans on seniority and a legacy of cross‑aisle deals; Paxton rallies the party’s base with lawsuits against the Obama administration and relentless attacks on Democrats. On the Democratic side, state Rep. James Tarico courts independents and disaffected Republicans with a love‑centered, faith‑infused outreach, whereas Rep. Jasmine Crockett positions herself as a partisan warrior intent on blocking the president’s agenda and energizing the Democratic base. The campaign rhetoric is peppered with memorable sound bites: Paxton boasts, “We sued the Obama administration 27 times in 27 months,” while Tarico quotes Bad Bunny, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Crockett declares, “My job is to energize the Democratic base and stop the president’s agenda,” underscoring the contrasting tones of optimism versus confrontation. The primary’s outcome will serve as a bellwether for the 2026 midterms. A Cornyn‑style win could signal a resurgence of moderate Republicanism, whereas a Paxton victory would suggest voters favor aggressive partisanship. For Democrats, Tarico’s appeal to centrists or Crockett’s hard‑line stance will indicate which strategy can finally crack Texas’s three‑decade Democratic drought, shaping national campaign playbooks.