The big picture
Republican incumbent John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term as Texas' senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.
Seven Republican candidates are challenging Cornyn for the Republican nomination: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady, Wesley Hunt, Gulrez “Gus” Khan and Ken Paxton. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters May 26.
The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.
Information about the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate is available here.
Preparing for the polls
Early voting begins Feb. 17 for March 3 primary races across Texas, including 18 statewide races and various local races. Registered voters may cast ballots in either Texas’ Republican or Democratic primary, but not both. Third-party candidates will appear on the ballot in November.
For more coverage of state and local races, visit communityimpact.com/election.
Zooming in
Community Impact gave all candidates running for contested statewide offices more than three weeks to complete the primary election questionnaire and communicated with their campaigns periodically. Community Impact's goal with election Q&As is to provide a side-by-side, equitable resource for Texas voters to review candidates' perspectives as they prepare to head to the polls.
To ensure that candidates are the ones defining their positions in Community Impact's voter guide, if candidates did not complete the questionnaire after multiple attempts to contact them, the website reads "candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time." Candidates were informed of this policy.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been minimally edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
* indicates incumbent candidate
John O. Adefope
Occupation & Experience:
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
Anna Bender
Occupation & Experience:
I am a Believer in Jesus Christ, a Wife, a Mother, and a Constitutionalist. ...
Candidate Website:
https://www.annabenderforsenate.com/
Contact Information:
llh@annabenderforsenate.com
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Restore the heart of the Constitution by proposing a 28th Amendment to secure the blessings of Liberty to America's Posterity.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
By voting for measures that will hold insurance companies liable if they delay processing claims. By ensuring federal funding be given directly to Texas families who have been affected by such disasters instead of a middleman.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
By voting for measures that support innovation, energy independence, and minimizing red tape.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
By providing special tax benefits for new businesses to incentivize entrepreneurship.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Texas is the last battleground state to save America. Texans must support the proposal of a 28th Amendment to the Constitution to Secure the Blessings of Liberty for Posterity as our Constitution demands.
Virgil John Bierschwale
Occupation & Experience:
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
Sara Canady
Occupation & Experience:
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
John Cornyn*
Occupation & Experience:
Texas Senior U.S. Senator, former Texas Attorney General, former Texas Supreme Court Judge
Candidate Website:
https://www.johncornyn.com/
Contact Information:
info@johncornyn.com
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top priority is serving Texans and keeping our state safe, strong, and prosperous for the next generation. I’ve proudly supported President Trump’s agenda, voting with him over 99% of the time. That means securing the border, enforcing the law, and unleashing the economy through deregulation and smart, pro-growth policies.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
I've worked tirelessly to ensure Texans get help when disaster strikes. After Hurricane Harvey, I helped secure billions in recovery funding and authored the Texas Coastal Spine Authorization Act to protect Houston from future storms. I also led calls for a federal disaster declaration after the Central Texas flooding ...
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Texas leads the nation in energy because we believe in innovation, free enterprise, and energy independence—principles I proudly advanced alongside President Trump. I worked to roll back regulations, support oil and gas producers, and invest in infrastructure that powers our economy and allies. With smart, pro-growth policies, Texas will remain ...
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
I’ve stood up for Texas small businesses by cutting taxes, reducing red tape, and expanding access to capital so they can grow and hire. I was President Trump’s chief vote counter for the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, and I supported the One Stop Shop Compliance Act to simplify federal rules ...
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Texas is growing because conservative policies work, but we must keep our economy strong, communities safe, and values intact. That starts with securing the border and restoring the rule of law. We must also support energy producers and invest in infrastructure. If we do that, Texas will remain the best ...
Wesley Hunt
Occupation & Experience:
Congressional Member Representing TX-38, West Point Military Academy, Combat Veteran, Judiciary and Natural Resources Committee
Candidate Website:
https://wesleyfortexas.com/
Contact Information:
info@wesleyfortexas.com
What would your top priorities be if elected?
When elected to the U.S. Senate, my top priorities will be advancing affordability in Texas, securing our southern border in perpetuity, and working tirelessly to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse from our federal government.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
In my Congressional district of Houston, Texas, we have witnessed the catastrophic impacts of natural disasters, underscoring the urgent need for sustained resources. I have been a strong advocate for flood mitigation and will continue working diligently to ensure Texans are prepared to confront and recover from devastating natural disasters.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Texas is home to the Permian Basin, whose vast resources help make our state the energy capital of the world. I support energy addition, not energy transition, and have worked in the House to reduce burdensome regulations on oil and gas.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
Small businesses are the backbone of Texas’s economy. By cutting taxes, reducing regulations, and promoting free-market solutions, we can empower entrepreneurs to grow, create jobs, and drive economic opportunity. A strong private sector—not government overreach—is the key to lasting economic growth across Texas.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
President Trump has secured the border; now it is the Senate’s duty to keep it secure and prevent illegal crossings from overwhelming our communities once again. We must prioritize public safety, stop criminal activity, and ensure Texans can live, work, and raise families in safe Texas communities.
Gulrez “Gus” Khan
Occupation & Experience:
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.
Ken Paxton
Occupation & Experience:
Paxton is Texas’ Attorney General, where he fights for conservative values and America First policies.
Candidate Website:
https://www.kenpaxton.com/
Contact Information:
electkenpaxton@gmail.com
What would your top priorities be if elected?
I’m running to take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment and ensure Texas is represented by a relentless champion for our conservative values. My top priorities are supporting President Trump, ensuring we confirm conservative judges, protecting America against foreign enemies like China, and eliminating wasteful spending that’s bankrupting our ...
How will you ensure Texans are able to receive the appropriate aid after natural disasters?
I will work tirelessly to ensure Texas is able to access federal funds in the wake of natural disasters and coordinate closely with FEMA, as well as focus both on disaster preparedness prior to natural disasters and long-term recovery aid for the communities affected.
What action is needed to ensure Texas remains a national energy leader?
We must defeat the far-left’s war on American energy, especially industries vital to Texas’s economy like oil and natural gas. By cutting regulation and federal red-tape, we will unleash American energy and ensure Texas remains not only a national energy leader, but also a global leader.
What will you do to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Texas?
It’s vital that we cut burdensome regulations and stop the decades of reckless spending that have defined Washington. The catastrophic debt Washington’s saddled us with is an existential threat to growth, economic prosperity, and it drove the Biden inflation that’s still affecting us.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
The biggest challenge, just as it was in the last few years under Biden, is the far-left’s radical agenda as they imported millions of illegals and imposed costly Green New Deal policies on our state. The Left’s an existential threat to our nation and must be completely defeated.
