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Texas, North Carolina Primaries: Upsets and Runoffs Unfold

3/4/2026

50 12 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

In Texas, State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who struggled with campaign strategy and messaging.
The Texas GOP primary heads to a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn, with both facing significant challenges.
In North Carolina, former Gov. Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley won their respective primaries.
Arkansas also participated on the first primary day.

History

Historical Context

The 2018 Texas Democratic primary, held on March 6, saw a remarkable 300% increase in voter turnout compared to previous years, reflecting heightened political engagement. This election was pivotal as Democrats fielded candidates in all 36 congressional districts for the first time in over 25 years, resulting in a shift from a 25-11 to a 23-13 Republican majority in the House.

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Story summary

In Texas, State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who struggled with campaign strategy and messaging.
The Texas GOP primary heads to a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn, with both facing significant challenges.
In North Carolina, former Gov. Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley won their respective primaries.
Arkansas also participated on the first primary day.

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