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Texas primary runoff takeaways. And, DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases

Cornyn lost the Republican runoff to Paxton after advancing from the March primary.

Texas primary runoff takeaways. And, DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases
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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

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70 stories · 89–90 · updated Oct 6, 2026

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Kuncvia NPR
May 27, 2026
tl;dr

Ken Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn in Texas’s Republican Senate runoff and will face Democrat James Talarico in November. The newsletter also reports South Carolina lawmakers blocking a redistricting effort and the Trump administration deleting records about Jan. 6 prosecutions.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
John Cornyn R · TX · SEN
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Cornyn in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Cornyn’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

Incumbent senator who lost the Republican Senate runoff in Texas

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Ken Paxton
R · TX

Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas

Paxton's version of this story ↗

Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President; associated with the redistricting effort discussed in South Carolina

U.S. representative who won the Democratic primary runoff in Texas' 18th Congressional District

Jim Clyburn
D · SC-6

U.S. representative whose South Carolina district was discussed in the redistricting item

Al Green
D · TX-9

U.S. representative who lost the Democratic primary runoff in Texas' 18th Congressional District

ALSO MENTIONED  Henry McMaster, Governor of South Carolina; Mayes Middleton, Republican candidate for Texas attorney general; Nathan Johnson, Democratic candidate for Texas attorney general

Part of a bigger story

5 OUTLETS
Ken Paxton Defeats John Cornyn in Texas Republican Senate Runoff

Ken Paxton defeated John Cornyn in the Texas Republican Senate runoff, winning the party’s nomination for the Senate race. Center outlets place the result in broader Texas election context, highlighting Trump’s influence and the coming general election, while also noting Paxton’s legal and ethical troubles. Right-leaning outlets frame Paxton’s win as driven by Trump’s personal grievances and emphasize possible costs for Republicans in November.

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