All Eyes on Two Pivotal Races in Texas Primaries

It's Election Day in Texas, with competitive Senate primaries for both Republicans and Democrats on the ballot, reports the Hill. At stake is whether Democrats will ultimately pull off the rare feat of flipping a GOP seat in their favor in the state.

• GOP: On the Republican side, four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is battling to hang on against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who leads in most surveys, and Rep. Wesley Hunt. No candidate is expected to clear 50%, likely forcing a May 26 runoff. All three tout ties to President Trump, who has stayed neutral so far, as national Republicans warn that Paxton's scandals could put a safe GOP seat at risk.

• Democrats: They will choose between two very different contenders: firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett and lower-key state Rep. James Talarico. Their matchup doubles as a referendum on whether Democrats should focus on energizing their base (Crockett) or courting moderates and disaffected Republicans (Talarico).
• In November: Whoever emerges from the GOP side remains favored in November, but Paxton atop the ticket is widely seen as Democrats' best shot at ending a three-decade statewide losing streak, per the AP. Early voting is up sharply, especially for Democrats.
• Elsewhere: Punchbowl News has a rundown of other races in Texas—GOP Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Tony Gonzales are in tough fights—as well as in North Carolina.