PRIMARY 2026
Some races require May runoff
The dust is settling after the March 3 primary election – for the most part, pending a potential legal ruling on Williamson County votes cast after the polls normally closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Meanwhile, it’s time for the next chapter in the election process – runoffs and midterm elections.
The primary runoff election is May 26 with early voting May 12-22, and the general election is Nov. 3 with early voting Oct. 20-30.
Here’s a look at the races.
COUNTY
The only contested race in Williamson County was a Republican primary contest for Precinct 2 commissioner. Two of the three candidates – Jeff Mayes and David McDonald – will face each other in a runoff.
The May 26 GOP runoff winner will run unopposed in November as there was no Democrat challenger. The third candidate March 3 was Rupal Chaudhari.
Although the other offices had no primary challenges, there will be plenty of contested campaigns in November.
Among them are county judge — Republican incumbent Steven Snell and Democrat Heather Jefts; county clerk — Republican William Fairbrother and Democrat Erin Block; county treasurer — Republican Carole Callahan and Democrat Brian Walbridge; and Precinct 4 commissioner — Republican incumbent Russ Boles and Democrat Harmon Rhea.
All four justice of the peace incumbents – Democrat KT Musselman (Precinct 1) and Republicans Angela Williams (Precinct 2), Evelyn McLean (Precinct 3) and Rhonda Redden (Precinct 4) – ran unopposed in the primary and will face no political foes in November.
Other uncontested races on the midterm ballot include County Court-of-Law 1 judge — Republican incumbent Brandy Hallford; County Court-of-Law 2 judge — Republican incumbent Laura Barker; County Court-of-Law 3 judge — Republican incumbent Kathryn Fowler; County Court-of-Law 4 judge — Republican David Oliver; district clerk — Republican incumbent Cathy Mendoza; Republican Party Chairwoman Michelle Evans; and Democratic Party Chairwoman Kim Collins Gilby.
Sarah Moore will represent the GOP in November in the race for the bench of the newly created 512th state District Court in Georgetown. She is opposed by Democrat Leslie Booker.
STATE
Surprising no one, Gov. Greg Abbott is on his way to seeking a fourth four-year term in Austin and will square off against Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
In the race for lieutenant governor, Republican incumbent Dan Patrick comfortably retained his party’s nomination with 85.9% of the vote. Patrick will face Vikki Goodwin or Marcos Velez, who will have a runoff in the Democratic primary.
Both attorney general primary races will have runoffs in May. On the Democratic side, Nathan Johnson (48.1%) will face Joe Jaworski (26.4%) for the Democratic ticket.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton (39.1%) will have a runoff against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (31.6%) for the Republican nod in the attorney general race.
State attorney general incumbent Ken Paxton is running for U.S. Senate and will be in a primary runoff against fellow Republican John Cornyn, who has represented Texas in Washington, D.C., since 2002.
The comptroller race in November is all but decided on both sides of the party line.
State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, the former Travis County judge, claimed 63.5% of the Democratic vote, while former state Sen. Don Huffines earned 60.2% of the Republican vote – unseating incumbent Kelly Hancock for the party’s choice.
Democrat Benjamin Flores will challenge Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham for the Texas land commissioner in November.
Flores won 60.2% of the vote in the Democratic primary.
Democrat Jon Rosenthal will face either Bo French or incumbent Jim Wright in November for the railroad commissioner seat. French (31.8%) and Wright (32.1%) will have a runoff for the Republican ticket in May.
Democrat Clayton Tucker will meet Republican Nate Sheets for agricultural commissioner in November. Sheets edged incumbent Sid Miller by a margin of 52.7-47.3% in the Republican primary. In the Texas Supreme Court, four seats are up for election in November. Democrat Maggie Ellis and Republican incumbent Jimmy Blalock will square off for chief justice; Democrat Chari Kelly will challenge Republican incumbent James Sullivan for Place 2; Democrat Kristen Hawkins will battle Republican incumbent Kyle Hawkins – no relation – for Place 7; and Democrat Gisela Triana will try to unseat Republican Brett Busby for Place 8.
Democrat Okey Anyiam will face either Alison Fox or Thomas Smith for Place 3 on the Criminal Court of Appeals in November. Fox and Smith were neck-and-neck for the Republican spot.
Democrat Audra Riley will try to unseat Republican incumbent Kevin Yeary for Place 4 on the Criminal Court of Appeals. Democrat Holly Taylor and Republican John Messinger will duke it out for Place 9 on the Criminal Court of Appeals.
On the local level, Republican incumbent state Sen. Charles Schwertner of Georgetown will move on to face a Democratic challenger in November for the state District 5 Senate seat. Democrats Paul Thomasson and Kevin Nelson were in a tight race for their party’s nomination.
Republican incumbent Caroline Harris Davila of Round Rock will continue her campaign to keep her District 52 state representative seat after she defeated Blayre Pena in the primary.
Harris Davila, who claimed 86.7% of her party’s vote, will face Democrat Chris Jimenez in November.
In the race for the State Board of Education District 5, Allison Bush and Stephanie Limon Bazan will face each other in the May 26 runoff. Mica Arellano represents the GOP.
FEDERAL
State Rep. James Talarico of Auston claimed a 52.5-46.2% victory against U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas in the race for the Democratic representative for U.S. Senate.
On the Republican side, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for U.S. Senate and will be in a May runoff against fellow Republican and incumbent John Cornyn, who has represented Texas in Washington, D.C., since 2002. Cornyn garnered nearly 42% of ballots cast to Paxton’s 41%.
In the U.S. House District 11 race, Claire Reynolds defeated Pete Ruiz by 15 percentage points (57.5-42.5%) in the Democratic primary. Reynolds will face Republican incumbent August Pfluger in November.
In the U.S. House District 17 race, Milah Flores and Casey Shepard will have a runoff in their Democratic primary.
The winner faces Republican incumbent Pete Sessions in November.
In the U.S. House District 31 Democratic race, Justin Early defeated Stuart Whitlow by more than 15 percentage points (57.6-42.4%) for their party’s nomination.
Early will try to unseat Republican incumbent John Carter of Georgetown, who won the Republican primary with 59.8% of the vote against eight other candidates.
All election results are unofficial until they are canvassed by local leaders.
