Early voting begins for high-stakes Texas primary elections

The Guardian - World NewsEN 6 min read 100% complete by Lauren GambinoFebruary 17, 2026 at 02:11 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Early voting has begun in Texas for the state's March 3rd primary elections, setting the stage for potentially significant Senate races. Republicans are facing a contest between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Democrats are choosing between State Senator James Talarico and Representative Jasmine Crockett. Despite the state's Republican lean, Democrats see an opportunity due to Trump's approval ratings and recent Democratic victories in traditionally Republican areas. Political scientists suggest the current political climate resembles 2018, when Beto O'Rourke nearly unseated Senator Ted Cruz. The outcome of these primaries will determine the candidates who will compete in the general election amid shifting political dynamics in Texas.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Rice University 40% Beto O’Rourke 40% Mark Jones ×250% Taylor Rehmet 50% Jasmine Crockett 60% Ted Cruz ×260% United States Senate ×260% James Talarico 60% Donald Trump ×470% John Cornyn ×280% Ken Paxton ×380% Texas ×990%

Keywords

texas primary elections 100% senate race 90% republican contest 80% texas politics 80% democratic race 70% early voting 70% john cornyn 60% midterm cycle 60% ken paxton 60% political climate 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Texas

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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texas primary elections senate race republican contest texas politics democratic race early voting john cornyn midterm cycle ken paxton political climate

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