Overview
- President Donald Trump declined to pick a favorite, saying he likes all three Republicans in the race as early voting runs Feb. 17–27 ahead of the March 3 primary.
- A University of Houston/Hobby School poll shows Ken Paxton at 38%, John Cornyn at 31%, and Wesley Hunt at 17%, making a late‑May runoff likely if no one tops 50%.
- AdImpact tracks $92.8 million in ad spending and reservations, the second-most for a Senate primary on record, with about $58.9 million backing Cornyn-aligned efforts.
- Cornyn warns of an “election day massacre” if Paxton is the nominee, reflecting GOP concerns over Paxton’s legal and personal baggage as Paxton counters by casting Cornyn as a Washington insider.
- Democrats are choosing between Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, with recent polling giving Crockett an edge before a November matchup against the GOP nominee.