It’s primary runoff day. Here are the key races in Texas and Houston
By Isaac Yu, Benjamin Wermund, John Lomax V
The state’s primary runoff elections will be decided Tuesday, with Texas voters finalizing the Republican and Democratic nominees for several major midterm contests.
At the top of the GOP ticket, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is fighting a challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton. In Houston, several major congressional races are playing out.
VOTER GUIDE: The local and statewide races that your vote will decide in the May 26 runoffs.
The polls close at 7 p.m. CT.
Here are the major races to watch:
Cornyn vs. Paxton
Incumbent John Cornyn, seeking a fifth term, is seeking to fight off a GOP primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
After months of indecision, President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton last Monday, after early voting had already started, calling him a “true MAGA warrior.” Still, Cornyn has a massive fundraising advantage and has spent millions on ads emphasizing the attorney general’s history of scandals. Paxton, meanwhile, is blasting Cornyn as out of touch with the party’s MAGA base.
Texas attorney general contests
On the Republican side, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, who has branded himself “MAGA Mayes” in a barrage of television ads, is facing off against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus known for his hardline stances on immigration and government spending.
State Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas, who just barely missed the 50% margin on primary election night, is facing off against former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski for the Democratic nomination.
The office is one of the state’s most powerful, in charge of defending state agencies and laws. Attorney General Ken Paxton has used the post to advance the MAGA agenda by repeatedly suing the Biden administration and major companies over issues ranging from border security to vaccine policy.
Democrats vying to face Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Democrats Vikki Goodwin, an Austin-area state representative, and Marcos Vélez, a steelworker union leader from Houston, are competing to take on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in November. Patrick, a Houston-area Republican, is running for his fourth term.
The powerful lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, setting the chamber’s legislative agenda and shaping committees.
GOP railroad commissioner race
Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright is headed to a runoff against GOP challenger Bo French. The powerful three-member commission oversees the state’s oil and gas industry.
French, a polarizing character who’s faced backlash from fellow Republicans for his comments denigrating Jews and Muslims, owns an oil company in Midland. He gave up his role as chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party to run for the job.
Wright, a South Texas cattle rancher, has been on the commission since 2021.
The winner will face Democrat Jon Rosenthal, a state representative from Houston, in November.
Houston’s 18th Congressional District
U.S. Reps. Christian Menefee and Al Green are competing to be the Democratic nominee for a deep blue district in central Houston.
The race is the first in the district’s new boundaries, which were redrawn last year by Republican lawmakers as part of their effort to give the GOP an edge in the midterms.
Green has represented the nearby 9th Congressional District for decades, but switched after it was redrawn to lean more Republican. Menefee won a special election in January to represent the old 18th Congressional District. The Houston district was left vacant by the death of Sylvester Turner.
The winner will face Republican Ronald Whitfield, a landscape company owner, in the November election.
GOP runoff in U.S. House District 9
Republicans Alex Mealer and state Rep. Briscoe Cain are competing to be the GOP nominee for the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District.
Mealer, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, previously ran for Harris County judge. Cain is a longtime state lawmaker who has the backing of Gov. Greg Abbott.
The district, which is currently held by Democratic Rep. Al Green and covers much of eastern Harris County, was redrawn last year by Texas Republicans to be more GOP-leaning.
The winner will face Democrat and environmental justice advocate Leticia Gutierrez in November.
Republican runoff to replace Wesley Hunt
The deep-red seat is open after its current representative, Wesley Hunt, left to pursue a failed bid for U.S. Senate. U.S. House District 38 includes Cypress, Tomball and Katy.
Voters will choose between Jon Bonck, a mortgage broker with Trump’s backing, and Shelley deZavallos, a pilot and former vice chair of the Harris County Republican Party.
The winner will face Democratic nominee Melissa McDonough in November.
Vo tries to hang onto his seat
Longtime state Rep. Hubert Vo is facing a tough challenge from Darlene Breaux, the president of the Alief ISD school board, who narrowly came in first in the Democratic primary.
Vo has represented Texas House District 149, a diverse district including Alief and parts of Katy, since 2004.
Who will succeed Lina Hidalgo?
Tuesday will also see voters decide on the candidates that will be on the November ballot for Harris County judge.
Democrats will choose between former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Letitia Plummer, a former at-large Houston City Council member. On the Republican side, Orlando Sanchez is seeking to make a return to Houston politics after an eight-year hiatus from office, while businessman Warren Howell hopes to make his political debut as the executive of the country’s third-largest county.
As the chief executive of the county, the county judge is responsible for managing the Office of Emergency Management and presiding over gatherings of Commissioners Court, which controls funding for infrastructure projects, county departments and elected offices.
Taylor Goldenstein, Ryan Nickerson, Elizabeth Sander and Sam González Kelly contributed reporting.
