Super Tuesday Primaries Underway
Voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas are heading to the polls for Super Tuesday primary elections. New congressional maps are in effect in Texas and North Carolina, and the Texas GOP Senate race is being closely watched as it could impact the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
In Texas, the new congressional map was engineered during a 2025 special session with the stated goal of increasing the Republican delegation, potentially flipping up to five Democratic-held seats. Although a federal court initially blocked the map as a likely unconstitutional racial gerrymander, the Supreme Court ultimately allowed it to be used for the 2026 elections. The Texas Republican primary for U.S. Senate features a contentious battle between incumbent John Cornyn, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt. Early polling has shown Paxton, who has faced significant legal challenges, leading the incumbent, raising the possibility of a May runoff if no candidate secures a majority. North Carolina's primaries are also shaped by a new congressional map passed by the GOP-led legislature in 2025, which targets the competitive district of Democratic Rep. Don Davis to favor a Republican. The new map, which Democrats have challenged in court, could shift the state's U.S. House delegation from its current 10-4 Republican split to 11-3. A high-stakes contest is underway to replace retiring North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis, a race that could be pivotal for control of the U.S. Senate. The Republican primary favorite is former RNC Chair Michael Whatley, who has secured Donald Trump's endorsement, while former two-term Governor Roy Cooper is the leading candidate in the Democratic primary. On the Democratic side in Texas, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and state Representative James Talarico are the frontrunners in the primary for the U.S. Senate nomination. Meanwhile, Republican Governor Greg Abbott is seeking a record fourth term, and with Ken Paxton running for Senate, the GOP primary for attorney general has drawn a crowded and competitive field.
