Convenience Big Store: My 4 key takeaways from election night in Texas

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The race for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate remains in jeopardy. The runoff we all expected is on its way, and two veterans in Congress from Houston might have just seen their careers on Capitol Hill end.

Those were some of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday's election that saw record turnout for a midterm primary election fueled by one of the nation's most gripping U.S. Senate races. Here are my four key takeaways:

Talarico withstands

When U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett jumped into the U.S. Senate race, the mission was to drive up huge vote totals in Dallas and Houston to push her to victory. Just before midnight, Crockett held commanding leads in both major cities, but Talarico was still holding onto a small overall lead because of his dominating performance in Travis and Bexar counties, plus cleaning up in the Rio Grande Valley.

Cornyn's stronger showing

Just Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was telling me there was a shot he could get to 50% of the vote and win the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate outright. That was clearly false hope. Late Tuesday, incumbent John Cornyn was leading the overall vote in the U.S. Senate race, but with neither candidate getting to 50%, it guarantees they'll head for a runoff in May.

Incumbents falling?

U.S. Reps Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, and Al Green, D-Houston, are on the cusp of seeing their tenures in Congress end. Both were trailing in their primary battles. State Rep. Steve Toth was beating Crenshaw late Tuesday, while U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, fresh off his January special election win, was holding a lead over the veteran Green.

Abbott's mixed night

While Gov. Greg Abbott easily won his Republican Primary for a potential 4th term in office, one candidate he really pushed to win statewide office struggled. Former state Sen. Don Huffines dominated former state Sen. Kelly Hancock in the GOP primary for state comptroller. Abbott endorsed Hancock, but that didn't stop Huffines from winning over 50% of the vote and avoiding a runoff election.

Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter

jeremy.wallace@houstonchronicle.com

Who's Up, Who's Down

A daily stock market-style report on key players in Texas politics.

Up: Sylvia Garcia.

Despite having much of her 29th Congressional District dismantled by redistricting ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott, the Houston Democrat was in a commanding position to defeat former State Rep. Jarvis Johnson in the battle.

Down: Dan Crenshaw.

The one-time rising start of the GOP doesn't look like he'll get a fifth term in Congress. State Rep. Steve Toth built a huge lead over Crenshaw, a Navy veteran, who was the only incumbent Republican member of Congress in Texas who didn't get President Donald Trump's endorsement.

What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.

What else is going on in Texas

Former mayor Ron Nirenberg and his wife Erika Prosper react to initial results for the Democratic primary for Bexar County Judge during a watch party at Backyard on Broadway in San Antonio on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Photo by: Katina Zentz, San Antonio Express-News

Nirenberg declares victory in Bexar County judge race

The former mayor won 62% of Bexar County's early voters.

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, listens during a press conference about school safety enhancements in NEISD in front of the new Wilshire Safety Training Center on Feb. 6, 2026.

Photo by: Blaine Young, Contributor

Tony Gonzales likely headed to May runoff election against Brandon Herrera

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is again facing Brandon Herrera in a campaign roiled by scandal over the married Congressman's sexual relationship with a staffer.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - DECEMBER 12: TV personality Vince Offer Shlomi attends the 'Family Guy Something, Something, Something, Dark Side' DVD release party on December 12, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Photo by: Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

'ShamWow guy' Vince Shlomi sues Texas GOP over ballot nickname dispute

Vince Shlomi, known as the "ShamWow guy," is suing the Republican Party of Texas, alleging it improperly removed his nickname from the GOP primary ballot.

Video: Drone carrying campaign poster causes chaos at Houston polling location

The drone's display of the poster, promoting Republican 7th congressional district candidate Tina Cohen, likely violated state law during primary voting, according to an election judge.

The Ten Commandments Monument at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

Photo by: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman

Area district denies parent's attempt to remove Ten Commandments displays

Spring Branch ISD school board voted against a parent's formal grievance regarding the Ten Commandments displays after a months-long process.

Photo by: Houston Chronicle

That was the increase in the average price of gasoline going into Tuesday in the U.S. Meanwhile, drivers in Europe waited in line to fill their tanks with fuel, as war engulfed the Middle East and shipments of oil and gas were stranded in the Persian Gulf. Depending on the duration of the war, the pain of higher prices could increase in the coming weeks, and may be felt more heavily in areas reliant on imports. While rising prices are bad news for drivers, it could boost Texas oil at a time many companies had shut down rigs and laid off employees.

What else I'm reading

Crews are removing an island in the Rio Grande popular with nature lovers because it can be used to hide and smuggle migrants into the United States. Sandra Sanchez of The Border Reports writes that it's not the first time an island in the middle of the river has been removed. A couple of years ago, Gov. Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star stripped another river island near the town of Fronton in the name of border security.