Texas Republicans’ bitter Senate primary will stretch into May, with Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton advancing to a runoff after neither candidate secured 50 percent of the vote Tuesday.
Cornyn led with 43 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race at 10:50 p.m. Eastern. Paxton had 40 percent. Rep. Wesley Hunt, the third leading candidate whose October entry into the race raised the likelihood of a runoff, failed to advance, earning 13 percent of the vote.
The May 26 runoff will extend what has already been a costly contest. Between both parties, this year’s Texas Senate race became the most expensive Senate primary on record, according to AdImpact. National Republicans worry that prolonging the battle between Cornyn and Paxton will drain money and resources from other competitive Senate contests.
