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Jasmine Crockett to Run for Senate in Texas

December 8, 2025 at 10:02 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) on Monday is expected to launch a Senate bid that will dramatically reshape the race for the seat held by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the Dallas Morning News reports.

She’s already chased Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) out of the race.

Filed Under: 2028 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Colin Allred Bails on Senate Bid in Texas

December 8, 2025 at 9:13 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) announced he would abandon his Senate bid and would instead run for the House, Punchbowl News reports.

Allred’s decision comes as Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has signaled she will get into the Senate primary against state Rep. James Talarico.

Allred will run for the 33rd District, challenging Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX).

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-33, TX-Sen

Ken Paxton Leads Republican Primary in Texas

December 3, 2025 at 2:54 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Public Policy Polling survey of the Republican Senate primary in Texas finds Ken Paxton (R) up by 10 points over both Rep. Wesley Hunt (R) and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R).

However, 24% of GOP voters are still undecided.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

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Jasmine Crockett Eyes Senate Run in Texas

October 22, 2025 at 4:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is “strongly” considering running for Senate, she said on Wednesday, raising the prospect of adding yet another marquee name to what is already a crowded Democratic primary, Politico reports.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

The 4 Keys for Democrats to Win a Senate Race in Texas

October 10, 2025 at 10:13 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

David DeAngelo, Principal of DL DeAngelo Consulting, LLC, offers this look at the U.S. Senate race in Texas.

Rep. Wesley Hunt’s (R-TX) entry into the Republican Senate primary in Texas is a powerful reminder that an election can hinge on a single strategic decision made by one key player—not merely on the collective choices of millions of voters.

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Filed Under: 2026 Campaign, Members Tagged With: TX-Sen

Wesley Hunt Jumps Into Texas Senate Race

October 6, 2025 at 7:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) is running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, defying Senate GOP leadership and adding a new element to an already contentious primary campaign, the AP reports.

Hunt’s entry makes it likely the race will extend into a runoff.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

John Cornyn Grabs Lead Over Ken Paxton

September 12, 2025 at 6:24 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Texas Public Opinion Research poll finds Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) leading primary challenger Ken Paxton (R), 35% to 26%.

An additional 29% said they were undecided in the race.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Allred Has the Edge Over Talarico

September 7, 2025 at 1:33 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A Public Policy Polling survey in Texas finds Colin Allred (D) leading James Talarico (D) in the Democratic Senate primary, 40% to 32%.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

James Talarico to Run for Senate in Texas

September 5, 2025 at 3:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) is set to announce his Senate bid on Tuesday, Politico reports.

“The state legislator has been considered a rising star in Texas, conducting dozens of national media interviews after he and his fellow Democrats left the state to hold up a President Donald Trump-led plan aimed at netting more Republican-leaning seats. He also secured a spot on Joe Rogan’s enormously popular podcast this spring.”

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Cornyn Shows Signs of Closing the Polling Gap

August 20, 2025 at 8:57 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Texas Southern University poll finds Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) trails Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) by just five points in the Republican Senate primary, 44% to 39%, an indication he may be winnowing down a huge polling gap.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Inside the Big-Dollar Rescue Mission for John Cornyn

August 12, 2025 at 7:08 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Senate Republicans are planning to spend tens of millions of dollars over the next few months to rescue Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn, hoping to reintroduce him to Lone Star State conservatives and save his flagging primary prospects,” Punchbowl News reports.

“The Senate Leadership Fund, the top GOP super PAC focused on Senate races, urged donors last week to open their wallets to help Cornyn beat back a challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, arguing the race could become a costly disaster without immediate intervention.”

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Inside Ken Paxton’s Long Distance Effort for a Trump Nod

August 5, 2025 at 8:04 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently found himself roughly 4,500 miles from home as he sought one thing that could give him an edge in his bitter primary fight against GOP Sen. John Cornyn: an endorsement from President Donald Trump,” CNN reports.

“On the last Saturday in July, Paxton was in the Scottish village of Turnberry at the president’s luxury golf resort, where the Texas attorney general encountered his occasional golf partner out on the links of Trump Turnberry.”

“Trump and Paxton did not play a round together on the course in western Scotland that overlooks the Irish Sea, and it’s not clear if the president was expecting to see him there. But the two crossed paths and spoke privately for several minutes about the Texas race.”

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Rick Perry Backs John Cornyn

August 4, 2025 at 10:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) endorsed Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Ronny Jackson Floats Senate Bid in Texas

July 26, 2025 at 11:21 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) met with the White House recently about the possibility of jumping into the Texas senate race, Semafor reports.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Adultery Allegations Jolt Senate Race in Texas

July 21, 2025 at 1:37 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Firebrand Texas Republican Ken Paxton’s long record of political resilience in the face of scandal faces a new test after his wife filed for divorce and accused him of adultery, jolting a contentious primary for U.S. Senate,” the Washington Post reports.

“The race, seen as one of the biggest GOP primaries of the midterms, was already dramatic, with a longtime incumbent, John Cornyn, fighting for his political life against Paxton, the state attorney general styling himself as more loyal to President Donald Trump. Now, Cornyn and his allies are bringing up the filing as they run against Paxton, and some Paxton backers are rethinking their support.”

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Texas Senate Shifts To Likely Republican

July 17, 2025 at 3:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

With surveys showing Ken Paxton (R) as the Republican frontrunner for U.S. Senate in Texas, the Cook Political Report shifts its rating for the seat from Solid to Likely Republican.

“Were Paxton to win the primary, we would consider shifting our rating further in Democrats’ direction.”

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Cornyn Appeals to Trump for Endorsement

July 17, 2025 at 9:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who faces a tough GOP primary challenger in Ken Paxton (R), is pleading directly with President Trump for his endorsement, but the president has so far demurred, NBC News reports.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

Cornyn Raised Less Than $1 Million Last Quarter

July 15, 2025 at 7:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) raised just $803,952 for his re-election committee and has $5.9 million on hand.

Meanwhile, GOP primary challenger Ken Paxton (R) brought in $2.9 million and has $2.5 million on hand.

Filed Under: 2026 Campaign Tagged With: TX-Sen

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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