Two closely watched Texas primaries featured high-profile losses March 3. Four-term U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, lost his GOP primary to Texas state Rep. Steve Toth, while state Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Crenshaw becomes first 2026 incumbent to lose primary
In the Republican House primary race, Toth unseated fourth-term incumbent Crenshaw. Toth secured 56.3% of the vote, while Crenshaw received 40.3%, based on results from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office. Two other challengers — Martin Etwop and Nicholas Plumb — garnered minimal support, each receiving about 1.8% of the vote.
Toth had frequently criticized Crenshaw as insufficiently conservative and overly focused on foreign policy, according to The Texas Tribune. He also picked up an endorsement Feb. 24 from Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who called the businessman an “unwavering fighter for school choice, fiscal responsibility, and the next generation of Americans.”
In a news release cited by the Tribune, Toth said, “Congressional District 2 voters want a representative in D.C. who will stand firm in his convictions, fight for his constituents, and follow through on his promises. I won’t let them down.”
Crenshaw — a former Navy SEAL first elected in 2018 — has faced criticism from fellow Republicans over his support of sending U.S. aid to foreign conflicts such as the war in Ukraine. He also made national headlines in recent months over feuds with some conservative commentators, including former FOX News host Tucker Carlson, whom he threatened in a February 2025 hot-mic moment to “kill” if “I ever meet him.”
Neither President Donald Trump nor Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Crenshaw, but he did receive endorsements from Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and enter the race with a significant financial advantage over Toth. According to the Tribune, Crenshaw outraised Toth by more than $1.3 million.
Texas’ 2nd Congressional District — which covers parts of Harris and Montgomery counties in the Houston area — leans heavily Republican, making Toth the strong favorite in the November general election against Democratic nominee Shaun Finnie.
Talarico defeats Crockett in Senate contest
In another closely watched contest, Talarico defeated Crockett in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, winning 53.1% of the vote. Crockett received 45.6% of the vote, and a third candidate, Ahmed R. Hassan, garnered 1.3%, according to final results from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.
Talarico, an Austin Democrat and Presbyterian seminarian known for his progressive populist rhetoric, campaigned on a “top versus bottom” economic message aimed at appealing to working-class voters. The 36-year-old first won election to the Texas House in 2018 when he flipped a district Trump had won two years earlier.
Crockett, who hails from Dallas, campaigned on her record in Washington and strategies to mobilize Democratic base voters in urban areas.
Talarico will advance to the November general election, where he will face the winner of the Republican primary, which is headed to a May 26 runoff between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. With about 96% of the votes counted, Cornyn had 41.7% and Paxton had 40.9%.