Longtime Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton are officially headed to a May runoff in the Texas Republican Senate primary, marking a high-stakes showdown between the veteran incumbent and the “MAGA favorite.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic side remains locked in a razor-thin contest between State Representative James Talarico and U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, with the final outcome currently obscured by significant voting disruptions in North Texas.
Confusion dominated the scene in Dallas County, a critical home base for Crockett. Hundreds of voters reported being turned away from polling sites Tuesday, prompting a district judge to order that Democratic locations remain open until 10 p.m. ET.
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The issues reportedly stemmed from a shift in how polling places were managed compared to previous years. It remains unclear exactly how many eligible ballots are left to be counted in the county following a flurry of court filings and a Texas Supreme Court intervention.
The state’s highest court issued a stay late Tuesday night, preventing Dallas County from immediately counting ballots from anyone who joined the line after the standard 8 p.m. ET closing time. According to a local elections official, those specific votes are being separated for the time being.
“This effort to suppress the vote, to confuse and inconvenience voters, is having its intended effect,” the Crockett campaign said in a statement regarding the polling site issues. Talarico’s campaign also expressed concern, stating that all efforts should be made to ensure “all Texans’ voices are heard.”
While the Texas races remain the night’s primary drama, voters across North Carolina and Arkansas also cast ballots. In North Carolina, the November matchup is set after Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley won their respective primaries to advance to a marquee general election race.
The Republican runoff between Cornyn and Paxton follows a heated three-way race that included U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt. With no candidate securing a clear majority, the May runoff will decide who represents the GOP in November.
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