Skip to main content
3 min read
● InformationalElections / Campaigns

Talarico leads both Cornyn, Paxton in new poll of Texas' U.S. Senate race

The poll put Cornyn three points behind Talarico, while Cornyn and Paxton were competing in the Republican Senate runoff.

Talarico leads both Cornyn, Paxton in new poll of Texas' U.S. Senate race
Image · San Antonio Current

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Outlet credibilitySan Antonio Current71/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 7, 2026

Credibility rates San Antonio Current, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.

Cites Texas Tribune

This article cites Texas Tribune as its original publisher. ChamberLight has not verified that it is a republication, so the scores are San Antonio Current's own.

Texas Tribune79/100 HIGH

65 stories · 79–80 · updated Oct 9, 2026

This is Texas Tribune's own score. The Source Check scores are for San Antonio Current and this article.

San Antonio Currentcites Texas Tribune
Apr 28, 2026
tl;dr

A new poll puts James Talarico ahead of John Cornyn and Ken Paxton in hypothetical Texas Senate matchups, but both leads are within the survey’s margin of error. Cornyn and Paxton are still competing in a Republican runoff to face Talarico.

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

Republican senator and potential opponent of Talarico in the general election

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Ken Paxton
R · TX

Republican Senate candidate and potential opponent of Talarico in the general election

Paxton's version of this story ↗

Democratic Senate candidate leading in the poll’s hypothetical matchups

Talarico's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President, mentioned as context for Democrats’ hopes in Texas

Chip Roy
R · TX-21

U.S. representative in the Republican attorney general primary runoff

Ted Cruz
R · TX · SEN

Senator cited as the Republican opponent in the 2018 race against Beto O’Rourke

Beto O'Rourke
Former U.S. Representative (D-TX)

Former Democratic Texas Senate candidate cited as historical election context

ALSO MENTIONED  Gina Hinojosa, Democratic nominee for governor; Greg Abbott, Republican governor and subject of a separate gubernatorial poll matchup; Joe Jaworski, Former Galveston mayor in the Democratic attorney general primary runoff; Mayes Middleton, Republican state senator in the attorney general primary runoff; Nathan Johnson, Democratic state senator in the attorney general primary runoff

Part of a bigger story

9 OUTLETS
Poll Shows Talarico Leading Cornyn and Paxton in Texas Senate Matchups

Poll coverage on the left, center and right reports James Talarico leading John Cornyn and Ken Paxton in hypothetical Texas Senate matchups. Cornyn and Paxton are also competing in a Republican runoff. Left-leaning outlets emphasize that the leads fall within the margin of error. Center outlets report the results with polling and runoff context, while one also places them against the state’s Republican advantage. Right-leaning outlets split: one questions the poll’s reliability based on its director’s political ties, while another focuses on Cornyn’s call for Talarico to condemn his pastor’s remarks.

COVERAGE BY OUTLET LEANTHIS OUTLET
ARTICLES
9
OUTLETS
9
AVG CRED
66

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…