On the Democratic side, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa captured the nomination to take on Abbott while Rep. Vikki Goodwin is in the lead for the lieutenant governor nomination.
Kayla Guo
Kayla Guo covers state politics and government. Before joining the Tribune, she covered Congress for The New York Times as a reporting fellow based in Washington, D.C. Kayla has also covered transportation policy for Politico and local news for The Raleigh News & Observer, and she was a part-time digital producer for The Boston Globe. She graduated from Brown University, where she studied public policy and served as editor-in-chief and president of the independent student newspaper. She was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is based in Austin.
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2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
The Austin Democrat’s win comes after a bitter primary that focused on which candidate’s political and electoral strategy would get the party’s first statewide victory in over 30 years.
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2026 Texas Elections
Polls close today in the Texas primaries. Here are five things to watch.
This Tuesday, Tribune reporters are watching two blockbuster Senate primaries, an open attorney general seat, and more high-stakes, competitive races up and down the Texas ballot.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas Democrats prepare to decide party’s future after divisive, epic Senate primary
Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico face off in the state’s first blockbuster Democratic primary in decades. The race will likely conclude Tuesday, with the outside chance of a runoff.
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2026 Texas Elections
How two churches forged Jasmine Crockett’s and James Talarico’s politics
In the Senate Democratic primary, Talarico has made his church’s ethos of compassion central to his campaign, while Jasmine Crockett is tapping into the civic power of Black churches.
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2026 Texas Elections
Rick Perry says his political group will spend “whatever we need” to support John Cornyn in Senate primary
The former Texas governor chairs the Lone Star Freedom Project, a group that has already spent almost $18 million boosting Cornyn against Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
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2026 Texas Elections
Stephen Colbert blasts CBS for nixing James Talarico interview
The late-night host said the network feared running afoul of new FCC guidance directing shows to give equal airtime to political candidates.
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2026 Texas Elections
In Senate Democratic primary fraught with racial tensions, Black voters could be decisive
Jasmine Crockett has built enormous enthusiasm among Black voters based in part on her reputation as a fighter, while her opponent in the Texas primary, James Talarico, has struggled to win their support.
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2026 Texas Elections
In fiercely competitive Democratic Senate race, social media influencers increasingly drive the conversation
The near-constant stream of takes from content creators has come to frame the primary between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico as a referendum on identity politics in the Democratic Party.
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2026 Texas Elections
On the issues: a Q&A with the Texas Republicans running for U.S. Senate
GOP candidates John Cornyn, Wesley Hunt and Ken Paxton refused to participate in a candidate Q&A on major issues, ranging from foreign policy to artificial intelligence. We used their past statements and voting history to show voters where they differ.