Texans are about to head to the polls for the second time this month to cast their deciding votes in several key statewide primary runoff races.
Both Texas Republicans and Democrats have someone on the ballot who will set the stage for the November 2026 General Election — the one that will ultimately decide who leads the state.
With early voting starting on May 18, here are the statewide primary runoff races Texans can vote in.
Ken Paxton, John Cornyn vie for U.S. Senate seat
During the March GOP primaries, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn earned with 41.89% of the vote while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
However, a few weeks out from election day, new polling is telling a different story: the Republican incumbent is trailing his challenger.
Whoever becomes the Republican candidate is set to face Democratic candidate James Talarico during the November 2026 General Election.
Democratic primary runoff race for Lieutenant Governor candidates
While the GOP and Democratic candidates for the state’s gubernatorial race have already been selected for the November election, Democrats need to choose who they want to run for the 2nd-highest-ranking office in the state against the incumbent.
During the March Democratic Primary, Vikki Goodwin earned 48.01% of the vote, and Marcos Velez earned 31.49%.
The winner of this race is set to face Lt. Gov. Dan Pratick in November.
Runoff races for Democratic, Republican Texas AG candidates
With Paxton running to be the next U.S. Senator from Texas, his current job is up for grabs.
Both Republicans and Democrats will have a chance to vote in the runoff primary election for this office with the following candidates:
Republican Primary runoff candidates
Democratic Primary runoff candidates
Republican primary runoff race for Railroad Commissioner candidates
The office is misnamed, as the office does not oversee the state railroads. Rather, it regulates the state’s oil and gas industry.
Republicans will have a choice between two candidates — incumbent Jim Wright and Bo French.
The winner of this race is set to face Democratic candidate Jon Rosenthal in November.
Here’s a look at Lubbock County races that are headed to a runoff election after both the local Democratic and Republican parties have certified the vote, making the results official.
Republican primary runoffs
Lubbock County Clerk
The three candidates were Sandy Garcia, Jim Baxa and Rebeca Gonzales.
The top two candidates advancing to a runoff will be:
However, on March 7, Baxa announced his withdrawal from the then-potential runoff race, citing that party unity was needed. This makes Garcia the Republican nominee.
County Commissioner Precinct 2
The three candidates were Trey Newton, Kevin Pounds and Justin Martin.
The top candidate was Pounds, earning 39.49% of the vote.
On March 4, Newton and Martin had a 119-vote difference between them, but Newton’s lead grew by five votes by March 19. The official results show that Pounds and Newton will face each other in the May runoff.
County Commissioner Precinct 4
The three candidates were Jordan Rackler, Chad Seay and C.J. Peterson.
The top two candidates advancing to a runoff will be:
Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
The three candidates were Mary Hernandez, Frank Gutierrez and Traci Baxa.
The top candidate was Hernandez, earning 37.54% of the vote.
On March 4, Baxa and Gutierrez had a 68-vote difference between them and stayed the same as of March 19. The official results show that Baxa and Hernandez will face each other in the May runoff.
Democratic primary runoffs
There was only one Lubbock County Democratic race that was headed to a runoff election — the Lubbock County Democratic Party chair race.
The official results show that incumbent Margaret Ceja, with 30.91% of the vote, was to face Graciela Gomez, who has 39.35% of the vote.
However, on March 16, Ceja announced her withdrawal from the runoff race, making Gomez the new Lubbock County Democratic Party chair.
“I will work hard to achieve the goals of our local Democratic Party which namely are to elect Democrats locally and statewide and to grow our local party,” Gomez said in a statement on social media. “I will work hard to recruit membership numbers and get more local Dems involved in our party.”
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Who’s on Lubbock, Texas 2026 GOP, Democratic primary runoff ballot in May?
Reporting by Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY NETWORK / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
