Texas holds 2026 midterms with record early turnout and a Senate race to replace Cornyn
The gist
More than 7.7 million Texans voted early, beating the state's previous record set in 2018.
The Senate race and redrawn districts test Republican dominance in Texas.
How it unfolded
- Aug 2025The Texas Legislature passed and Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new congressional map shifting five Democratic-held districts toward Republicans.
- Mar 3, 2026Texas held primary elections; Republican Sen. John Cornyn headed toward a runoff against Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Democrats chose state Rep. James Talarico over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
- Oct 21, 2026Voters waited in line during early voting at the Como Community Center polling site in Fort Worth.