The Texas Tribune reported that Paxton won the runoff, ending Cornyn's bid for a fifth Senate term after more than three decades in statewide and federal office. AP reported that Paxton's victory made Cornyn, first elected to the Senate in 2002, the first Republican senator from Texas to lose the party's nomination for re-election.
KUT, citing statewide results, reported that Paxton received 63.8% of more than 1.38 million votes cast. The figure should be treated as reported results rather than a final official canvass until the Texas secretary of state's canvass is complete. The result followed a March primary in which neither Cornyn nor Paxton cleared 50%, triggering the runoff under Texas election rules.
President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton during the closing stage of the runoff. The Texas Tribune reported that Trump's endorsement post said Cornyn had not been supportive of him "when times were tough" and that Paxton had committed to ending the legislative filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act. KUT reported that Trump endorsed Paxton when early voting was already underway.
The race now turns to Talarico, an Austin-area Democratic state representative and former middle school teacher. AP reported that Talarico launched his general-election campaign in Houston on Wednesday by framing Paxton as part of a corrupt political establishment and by making Paxton's public controversies central to his case. Paxton's campaign declined to comment to AP for that story, while Paxton posted a fundraising message attacking Talarico.
Paxton's impeachment record is relevant but must be stated precisely. AP reported that Talarico's rally came on the third anniversary of Paxton's impeachment on allegations that he used his office to benefit a wealthy political donor. AP also reported that Paxton was acquitted on all 20 articles of impeachment. The allegations from that proceeding should not be restated as findings of fact.
The strongest Republican counter-perspective is that Texas remains structurally difficult for Democrats at the statewide level. The Texas Tribune reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee immediately attacked Talarico and argued that Texas, a state Trump won by nearly 14 points, would not elect him. That is a party position, and the draft attributes it as such.