The 2026 election season is officially underway after primary races on Tuesday in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas. The elections produced some wobbly results for incumbents, matchups for the general election and set up some runoff races.
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Talarico wins Democratic nomination
The biggest action and the most-watched contests were in Texas.
State Representative James Talarico defeated U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
Talarico addressed supporters Tuesday night, saying, “The number of young people who showed up to vote in this election is unprecedented. The number, the number of Texans who have never voted before but showed up in this election, is unprecedented.”
Crockett conceded the race Wednesday morning, a delayed response after a last-minute legal fight complicated polling in Dallas County.
This story is featured in today’s Unbiased Updates. Watch the full episode here.
Late Tuesday night, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked a prior ruling that allowed voters extra time to cast ballots.
“Votes cast by voters who were not in line to vote at 7 p.m. should be separated,” the State Supreme Court ruled. The Dallas County election commissioner confirmed those votes will not be counted, but separated pending further legal challenges.
Nonetheless, Talarico has claimed victory, but it’s unclear who he will face in November.
Runoff election for the Texas Republican ticket
Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn ran against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a MAGA candidate.
Following Tuesday’s voting, Cornyn had the most votes but failed to reach the 50% threshold to clear the field. The race will now head to a May runoff against Paxton.
“I’ve worked for decades to build the Republican party, both here in Texas and nationally,” Cornyn said.”I refuse to allow a flawed, self-centered, and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton risk everything we’ve worked so hard to build over these many years.”
Paxton, meanwhile, is pushing for change saying it was “on the ballot.”
“Texans want new leadership. They want someone with a proven record of fighting and winning for them, and that’s exactly what I’m going to deliver,” Paxton said, “Because for too long, John Cornyn has turned his back on us.”
President Donald Trump did not endorse a candidate before the primary. However, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, he said he would soon choose between Cornyn and Paxton.
After the endorsement, he wrote, he will be “asking the candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair? We must win in November!!!”
Other Tuesday primaries
In North Carolina, one of the year’s most consequential Senate races was essentially set heading into the primary.
Democrat Roy Cooper will face Republican Michael Whatley in November, a contest expected to play a major role in determining which party controls the Senate next year. Republicans currently have a 53-47 advantage. Democrats need to flip four seats.
Cooper has been pushing affordability on the campaign trail, launching a “Make Stuff Cost Less” tour following the primary. Meanwhile, Whatley, who has support from President Donald Trump, says this year’s election is “a choice between a conservative champion for North Carolina, who will be an ally for President Trump in the Senate, or a champion for the failed policies of the left.”
And in Arkansas, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton easily secured his party’s nomination. He will face Democrat Hallie Shoffner in the general election this fall.
Cotton has centered his campaign on immigration, advocating for reducing green-card numbers and strongly supporting Trump’s deportation and enforcement policies.
Meanwhile, Shoffner focused on economic stability for working families.
