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Who is running for US Senate in Texas?

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Published  July 1, 2025 12:04pm CDT
Texas Politics
FOX 7 Austin
article

Ken Paxton (left), John Cornyn (center), Colin Allred (right)

The Brief

    • The 2026 race for Texas's U.S. Senate seat is drawing multiple candidates from both parties, including incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, who seeks a fifth term.
    • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced his primary challenge to Cornyn, while former Democratic Congressman Colin Allred launched his bid for the seat.
    • The Texas primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026

Several politicians have entered the race for Texas' US Senate seat.

The seat, currently held by Senator John Cornyn, will be up for grabs in the 2026 election.

Texas Republican Senate Candidates

John Cornyn

Senator John Cornyn announced he was running for a fifth term in the Senate this March.

Cornyn has not lost an election in Texas.

He was elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 1990, won an attorney general race in 1998 and then defeated a crowded field to become US Senator in 2002.

WASHINGTON, DC - ARPIL 26: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to reporters after the Supreme Court oral arguments in the Biden v. Texas case at the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Sarah Silb

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Ken Paxton

Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he was running for Senate in April.

Paxton has served as the Attorney General of Texas since 2015.

Prior to becoming attorney general, Paxton was a member of the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate.

Other candidates

  • Barrett McNabb
  • Keith Allen
  • Virgil Bierschwale
  • Rennie HIll Mann
  • Doc Leo Wyatt
  • Tony Schmoker
  • Alexander Duncan
  • Gulrez Khan
  • Andrew Alvarez

Texas Democrat Senate Candidates

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - OCTOBER 03: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) speaks to the media at a campaign event that saw volunteers man phones on October 03, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Colin Allred

Former Congressman Colin Allred announced his Senate bid in July.

Allred played four seasons in the NFL before becoming a civil rights attorney.

He worked in the General Counsel's office at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Julian Castro during the Obama administration.

In 2018, he defeated incumbent Republican Pete Sessions to represent the Dallas area in Texas's 32nd congressional district.

In 2024, he lost a bid to unseat Senator Ted Cruz.

Other candidates

  • Michael Swanson
  • Terry Virts

When is the US Senate primary in Texas?

Texas's primary will be held on March 3, with a runoff election held May 26, if necessary.

When is the general election?

The 2026 election will be held on November 3, 2026.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Federal Election Commission and past FOX reporting.

Texas PoliticsJohn CornynKen Paxton