Updated March 4, 2026 — Polls have closed in primary contests across Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas that kick off the 2026 midterm season and highlight intraparty debates as both parties position for competitive general elections.
Texas
In the Texas Senate primary, incumbent Republican John Cornyn is projected to enter a May runoff with Attorney General Ken Paxton after neither candidate cleared 50%. Cornyn is seeking a fifth term while Paxton has questioned his conservative credentials; former President Trump has not endorsed either candidate.
On the Democratic side, state Rep. James Talarico is projected to have won the nomination over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Both Democrats emphasized their ability to compete statewide and argued they could help end the long drought of Democratic victories in Texas.
Several House races drew attention. Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw was projected to lose a primary challenge to state Rep. Steve Toth, who ran well to Crenshaw’s right. GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales is projected to face a May runoff against hard-right gun advocate Brandon Herrera in a contest that was recently shaken by allegations of an affair involving Gonzales and a staffer who later died by suicide. On the Democratic side, Tejano musician Bobby Pulido is projected to have defeated emergency physician Ada Cuellar for the nomination in the heavily Republican 15th District. Meanwhile, 11-term Rep. Al Green is running in a Houston-area district reshaped by last year’s redistricting and faces newly elected Rep. Christian Menefee.
North Carolina
In North Carolina, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley are projected to have secured their parties’ Senate nominations in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive Senate contests. In House races, Republican Laurie Buckhout is projected to face vulnerable Democratic Rep. Don Davis in the newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, and Jamie Ager is projected to have won the Democratic nomination in the GOP-leaning 11th District.
Arkansas
In Arkansas, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ran unopposed for renomination. Two Democrats are vying to become the party’s nominee to challenge her in the general election.
What’s next
May runoffs in several Texas contests will decide final Republican nominees there, and competitive general-election matchups are beginning to take shape in multiple districts and statewide races. Both parties will use the results to refine strategies for the broader 2026 midterm campaign.