(AFP) – A bruising Texas Republican primary laid bare the struggle for control of US President Donald Trump’s party as the 2026 midterms began Tuesday, while Democrats sparred over their own direction. Voters in the Lone Star State are choosing their US Senate candidates in races that have become a test of how both parties navigate the remainder of Trump’s second term — and a rehearsal of the internal clashes likely to shape November’s congressional elections.
The primary races have become an early gauge for both parties of whether their voters prefer steadiness and seniority or candidates who channel anger and confrontation, even at the cost of electability. Texas anchored the opening slate of the primary season, with North Carolina and Arkansas also holding contests that will help shape the fight for control of Congress. In November, voters will choose every member of the US House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats — contests that will determine whether Trump governs with a cooperative Congress or faces a Democratic majority empowered to block legislation and launch investigations.
Republicans enter the cycle defending a 53–47 Senate majority and a razor-thin House edge. Democrats are seeking to capitalize on any backlash against Trump’s agenda. “Donald Trump is front and center in all of these primaries, whether the candidates like it or not,” said Peter Loge, a professor of political communication at George Washington University. The voting also came days after the United States entered a war alongside Israel against Iran, though it remained unclear whether the conflict would meaningfully shape turnout or voter sentiment so early in the campaign season.
– Texas as bellwether –
The headline contest pitted four-term Republican Senator John Cornyn against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch Trump ally who has built a loyal following — despite years of ethics controversies and a 2023 impeachment trial — by channeling anti-Washington anger. Cornyn, long viewed as secure, has warned that nominating Paxton could endanger a seat Republicans are expected to hold in November. Yet he trailed in several polls ahead of Tuesday’s voting, despite heavy backing from Republican-aligned groups. Congressman Wesley Hunt was trailing third, but courting pro-Trump voters uneasy with both frontrunners.
On the Democratic side, US Representative Jasmine Crockett was facing state representative James Talarico in a race framed as a choice of strategy. Crockett argues her combative, high-profile style can drive turnout in a state Democrats have not won statewide in three decades. Talarico presented himself as a candidate better positioned to attract moderates and disaffected Republicans. Either race could fail to produce a majority winner on Tuesday, raising the prospect of May runoffs that could extend intraparty divisions and drain campaign funding resources.
In North Carolina, Democrats are targeting an open Senate seat they view as one of their strongest pickup opportunities. Polls there close at 7:30 pm (0030 GMT), followed by most of Texas at 8:30 pm. The state typically reports results quickly, meaning the outlines of several marquee contests could emerge within hours.
– Moises Avila with Frankie Taggart in Washington
© 2024 AFP
