Ken Paxton And John Cornyn Practically Tied In GOP Texas Primary Race, Poll Shows

Texas Sen. John Cornyn and state attorney general Ken Paxton are practically tied in the Republican primary to be the party's contender for a U.S. Senate seat in this year's midterm elections, according to a recent poll.

The survey, conducted by Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media, showed Paxton with a narrow lead, garnering 27% of the support compared to Cornyn's 26%. Rep. Wesley Hunt got 16% of the prospective vote and 29% of respondents said they have not decided who they will vote for.

The poll was conducted among 550 likely Republican primary voters between January 10 and 12. The margin of error was +/- 4.1%.

Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, noted that "neither Ken Paxton nor John Cornyn appears positioned to reach 50% on the primary ballot, as the Republican electorate remains sharply divided."

"With Wesley Hunt gaining traction at 16%, a runoff between the two candidates now appears likely in May," he added.

The poll also tested potential matchups between the two candidates and the two Democratic counterparts with the most chances of getting the nomination: Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico.

Cornyn has the better shot at beating the Democratic candidate. He would beat Talarico 47% to 44% and Crockett 48% to 43%. Cornyn, in turn, is tied with both candidates at 46%.

In the Democratic camp, Talarico is leading Crockett, the poll showed: he got 47% of the support, compared to Crockett's 38%. 15% are still not sure of who they will vote for, and less than 1% said they would support Ahmad Hassan.

Kimball highlighted that "Talarico has built momentum among Hispanic (59%) and white (57%) voters, while a majority of Black Democratic primary voters (80%) support Crockett."

The survey also showed that Talarico was supported by more than half of all men polled (52% compared to Crockett's 30%), while women were almost evenly split: 44% for Talarico and 43% for Crockett.

Elsewhere in the poll, voters noted that the economy remains as the top issue at 28%, two points below an August poll. It is "followed by threats to democracy at 17% (+2), immigration at 14% (-7), healthcare at 9% (+1), and housing affordability at 8% (+3).

• Texas AG Ken Paxton Says He'll Launch 'Undercover Operations To Infiltrate And Uproot Terrorist Cells'
• Incumbent Texas Sen. Says He's Happy About Jasmine Crockett Running For Dem Candidacy: 'Am I Hiding My Glee?'

© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.