Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas voters head to polls for crucial primary elections

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is suggesting that Republicans tried to rigg Tuesday's Democratic primary elections in Texas because they opted not to hold joint primaries.

Crockett's claims came after the Texas Supreme Court knocked down a lower judge's ruling to keep polling places open longer, mandating that any votes cast after the initial closing time be separated. Democrats pushed for polling locations to be open longer amid polling location restrictions that resulted from Republicans and Democrats not holding joint-primaries.

"Knowing that Dallas county is a big dump of votes, we, in my opinion, will not know the election results overall tonight," Crockett told supporters who gathered to celebrate her potential victory.

"We need to see the Dallas county votes to see where they are. I mean, if the early vote comes in, which we may have the early vote soon, if it comes in and I'm losing Dallas county then we know, kind of, where this thing is going. So, that's my news, is that, we're not going to have election results tonight, in my opinion, based upon what specifically is taking place in Dallas County. Unfortunately, this is what Republicans like to do. And, so, they specifically targeted Dallas County, and I think we all know why. So, I want you to enjoy yourselves, but I won't be back tonight because I have no idea of when we're going to get results and I fully anticipate it won't be until tomorrow."

In what is said to be one of the most closely divided congressional districts in the Tar Heel State’s current map, North Carolina Republicans turned out to the polls Tuesday to choose Laurie Buckhout to challenge incumbent Rep. Don Davis in the 1st District in what will be a rematch of 2024.

The seat originally covered a large swath of the Inner Banks and rural eastern North Carolina, including a sizable African American population, and has been out of Republicans’ reach for decades.

However, a new map going into effect for 2027 now includes more conservative beachfront communities along the Crystal Coast and Outer Banks.

Asa Buck, the sheriff of Carteret County, which features the family beach towns of Emerald Isle, Salter Path and Atlantic Beach, was one of the candidates who lives in the new but not the old 1st District.

Buckhout, a retired Army colonel, narrowly lost to Davis 48%-50% in 2024, but may have won had there not been a Libertarian Party candidate in the race.

North Carolina state Sen. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck, who represents part of the Outer Banks, was also running, along with attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell and Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse of Kinston.

Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III was projected to win the Democratic primary to succeed one of his congregants, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, in Texas’ Dallas-centric 30th congressional district.

Haynes, a radical reparations activist who once claimed America was "born in political violence,” spoke at a 2022 “Solidarity for Reparations” event in San Francisco where he advocated for the race-based payments on the grounds that America owes it to the African American community.

"America, you owe us. What you done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil. It’s been unjust. It’s been downright wrong and the only way to bring salvation to America - you gotta pay us what you owe us," Haynes said.

"I've come by to say San Francisco, California, Texas, United States of America, if you want salvation to come to this house, you've got to engage in reparations."

In addition to his activism on reparations, Haynes has a history of controversial statements, including posting a photo of himself and notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan in 2017, calling him a "wonderful and great man."

In 2015, Haynes also lavished praise on Farrakhan, saying he was "a prophetic leader of our time.

"Earlier this year, he attacked conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his assassination, accusing him of espousing "dangerous" views "rooted in white supremacy."

He criticized characterizations of Kirk’s killing as an assassination, saying, "a white Christian gets killed, murdered, not assassinated," continuing, "Martin King got assassinated, Malcom X got assassinated, Medgar Evers got assassinated, don’t compare Kirk to King."

Though he condemned political violence, Haynes proceeded to drill into Kirk, saying, "What Kirk said was dangerous, what Kirk said was racist, rooted in white supremacy, nasty and hate-filled."

As of Midnight ET on Wednesday, the Republican primary had not yet been called, with Everett Jackson leading Sholdon Daniels and Gregorio Heise.But,

Haynes now emerges as the heavy favorite given the districts extremely hefty blue bent.

Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

DALLAS, TX — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is ready to continue his race against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and warned that money wouldn’t be the deciding factor.

“Together with your support, we just sent a message loud and clear to Washington,” Paxton said. “We are not going to go quietly. And we are not going to let you buy the seat.”

Paxton and Cornyn are headed to a runoff, continuing their grueling battle to secure the Republican nomination for Senate deep into May. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who came in third, and dropped out of the race, ensuring a duel between the bitter rivals.

Cornyn has the backing of Senate Republican leadership and their aligned political arms. They have dumped tens of millions of dollars to back the longtime incumbent.

Both are vying for President Donald Trump’s coveted endorsement, but so far, he has kept the race at arm’s length.

President Donald Trump went to bat for New York Yankees World Series champion Mark Teixeira in his Republican primary bid in Texas’ conservative-leaning 21st District.

The district, which includes Fredericksburg and suburbs of Houston, is currently represented by Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican now seeking the state attorney generalship.

Primary support largely consolidated behind Teixeira after Trump endorsed him in February.

Former Bexar County Republican Party Chairman Kyle Sinclair dropped out of the race following the endorsement.

Teixeira, a first baseman who also played for the Texas Rangers before his time with the Yankees, is originally from Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Trump himself is a known Yankees fan and had a longtime friendship with the late owner George Steinbrenner.

He visited the Bombers’ locker room in 2025, but has often received mixed reviews from fans in the stands in the city that now appears to politically loathe one of its native sons.

A super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leadership blasted Rep. Wesley Hunt’s, R-Texas, bid in the Texas Senate primary as a “career-ending vanity tour.”

Hunt placed third in the race for the Republican nomination in Texas against longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. That race now heads to a runoff between Cornyn and Paxton after Hunt’s decision to drop out.

"Congratulations to Wesley Hunt on an abysmal third place finish in Texas’ Republican primary,” Senate Leadership Fund Executive Director Alex Latcham said. “Instead of fighting for President Trump and conservative priorities, Wesley launched a career-ending vanity tour without any substance or political reasoning.”

Meanwhile, Hunt told supporters during his concession speech that whoever “the people choose to go into the general election, they will have my undying support on top of that because we have got to keep Texas red.”

But Latcham suggested that Hunt was to blame for the runoff, which will see Cornyn and Paxton extend their grueling duel until May.

“While Wesley’s amateur consultants got wealthy on his senseless campaign, Republican voters are now forced to endure an even longer primary runoff election," Latcham said.

Tejano musician Bobby Pulido is projected to win the House Democratic primary for Texas’ 15th congressional district.

The once-reliably Democratic confines are now Republican friendly in the Trump era, as incumbent Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas will be Pulido’s opponent in the upcoming general election.

The district follows a somewhat disjointed north-south line from New Braunfels southward along the US-281 corridor to the Mexican border at McAllen.

Since announcing his bid, Pulido has attempted to reframe himself as a bipartisan candidate with a strong emphasis on family.

He has scrubbed his social media of more references to his political stances — like a photo of himself urinating on Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

The video, originally posted to Instagram, depicts Pulido urinating on Trump’s plaque with the caption, "when you gotta go, you gotta go."

Pulido, was also recently subject to another bit of scandal, as a digital footprint of references to explicit material lingering on social media came to light in recent times.

From 2013 to as recently as 2024, Pulido has posted a range of links, images and references to pornographic material.

In 2013, Pulido told viewers to visit pornographic website YouPorn if bored and reposted links to porn sites featuring the music of fellow musicians, asking them if they’re receiving royalties for being featured. 

Pulido is best known for Tejano, or Mexican-Spanish folk-style songs like "Desvelado" and "Se Murió de Amor," and he received five nominations for a Latin Grammy Award, winning Best Tejano Album in 2022 and 2025.

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.     

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), praised James Talarico as a model for Democrats even as polling remained in a heated Democrat Senate primary between Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, on Tuesday evening.

“James Talarico is the future of the Democratic Party,” Casar said in a post to X.

“He united working people of all kinds to take on the billionaires who are making life unaffordable. He’s going to show Texas Republicans how powerful working people are when we stand together. On to victory in November.”

At the time of his post, the Associated Press had not called the race between Crockett and Talarico.

Talarico had just a slight, just under-five-point lead over Crockett.

Crockett, who told voters that she didn’t expect to have conclusive election results on Tuesday, is a fellow member of the CPC alongside Casar.

DALLAS, TX — Longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are headed to a runoff duel in the Lone Star State. 

Neither candidate was able to crest the 50% mark Tuesday night, meaning one of the nation’s most grueling primary races will drag on into May. Still, Cornyn had a meager advantage over Paxton, while Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, trailed behind both. 

“Just like the primary, we have a plan to win the runoff, and we are in the process of executing it,” Cornyn said shortly before the Associated Press called the race. “Judgment day is coming for Ken Paxton.”

Paxton argued that the result was just the beginning in their race, and that the margin should send a message to doubters in Washington, D.C., who have dumped millions into the race backing Cornyn. 

“We just sent a message loud and clear to Washington, We are not going to go quietly,” Paxton said. “And we are not going to let you buy the seat.” 

Meanwhile, Hunt bowed out of the race, telling supporters that “at the end of the day, I'm wishing the best of luck in this runoff.”  

“[Whoever] the people choose to go into the general election, they will have my undying support on top of that because we have got to keep Texas red,” Hunt said. 

The runoff is expected to be an even more bruising challenge for the remaining candidates, and will likely be shaken up by whoever President Donald Trump chooses to endorse. 

Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is projected to win the Texas Democratic gubernatorial primary, collecting about 60% of the vote as of 9:37 local time. 

Her two closest challengers were former Rep. Chris Bell, D-Texas, and Angela Villescaz. 

Hinojosa's campaign leaned heavily on eradicating public corruption and education funding, according to KXAN.

According to her campaign website, Hinojosa first ran for office after her son's school was threatened by budget cuts from Austin. 

She ran for school board and was eventually elected board president in 2015. "Every challenge in Texas boils down to tax dollars being spent to pad the pockets of the well-connected, corrupt elite, instead of what Texans need," read a statement on her campaign site. 

She will face Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican running for his fourth term.

Abbott easily defeated a slew of GOP primary challengers, with Pete "Doc" Chambers coming in second and Evelyn Brooks coming in third.

Abbott logged about 83% of the vote to Chambers' 10 according to the latest Associated Press tally.

The suspicious individual arrested outside of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s election night party was there “to make a delivery,” Dallas Police said.  

The police department noted in an update that after interviewing the individual, “investigators determined the individual was at the location to make a delivery to an employee.” 

“He was transported to the Dallas County Jail without incident,” Dallas Police said. “His name will not be released until he is officially booked in.” 

The update came several hours after the person, who was identified by Dallas Police Department paperwork as Eric Nathanial Simon, was arrested for traffic violations outside of Paxton’s gathering in downtown Dallas. 

Police searched his vehicle and found several magazines, some loaded, others not, for what appeared to be a 9 mm firearm and AR-15 style clips. Police initially stated that there were firearms in the vehicle, but later corrected that statement.

The display outside of Paxton’s election night headquarters came as he’s vying to topple longtime Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in a grueling primary battle That race, which includes Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, is expected to end up in a run-off between Paxton and Cornyn. 

What was once expected to be a comfortably won contest for longtime Texas Sen. John Cornyn has tightened into something far more competitive heading into Tuesday night’s primary. 

Recent internal and public polling snapshots have shown the two leading candidates, Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, locked in what many strategists describe as a “dead heat” further complicated by the recent surge of a third candidate, Rep. Wesley Hunt. 

In Texas, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, scheduled for May 26, and the crowded field makes a runoff the most likely scenario.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) – the upper chamber’s campaign arm currently run by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York – launched a new ad attacking North Carolina Republican nominee Michael Whatley soonafter the respective races were called for him and former Gov. Roy Cooper.

The spot, entitled “Can’t Be Trusted,” illustrates Whatley’s resume as an energy industry lobbyist prior to becoming RNC Chairman, and suggests he therefore “can’t be trusted” to represent North Carolinians.

“Whatley pushed for the GOP bill that spiked health care costs, gutted Medicaid, and could force hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians to lose their health insurance. He “wholeheartedly” supports the trade war that is hurting North Carolinians’ pocketbooks, even falsely claiming that groceries cost less – all while pushing for policies that boost his stock portfolio,” the DSCC said in their announcement.

The advertisement will be running on CTV platforms including Roku, Hulu and Peacock.

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he can win the Republican Senate primary even without President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

"He makes his own decisions," Paxton told Fox News Digital. "I'm perfectly fine right now. We're going to win this election either way. And I'm happy with where we're at, and you're going to see next Tuesday that we're going to come out in front.

"Paxton, who was invited by Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, to attend Trump’s State of the Union address, is one of seven challengers vying to unseat longtime Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who is running for a fifth term in the upper chamber.

Early voting has already begun in the Lone Star State, and primary election day is March 3.

Even without a coveted nod from the president, Paxton acknowledged that cutting through the densely packed field would be difficult without the race going to a runoff, but not impossible.

"It's hard to win outright, but you know anything's possible," Paxton said. "If anybody's going to do it, it is going to be me."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, had a stark warning for Texans as he fights to keep his job in the Senate, saying a vote for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton could mean a Democrat wins the Lone Star State seat for the first time in three decades.

"Ken Paxton will be the kiss of death for Republicans on the ticket in November of 2026," Cornyn said.

Cornyn made his comments as he crisscrossed the state in a mad dash to shore up support as early voting began in Texas earlier this week. He’s deadlocked in a battle for political survival in a grueling three-way primary with Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.

Nick Maddux, an advisor for Paxton, fired back in a statement to Fox News Digital that the current Texas attorney general won his election by double digits in 2022, "and the same thing is going to happen in 2026, because Republican voters are fired up to go to the polls and support him."

Maddux charged that Cornyn "is the worst possible choice" for turning out "low-propensity, Trump-supporting America First voters."

"There's a reason that he's stuck in the mid-20s even after $70-plus million's been lit on fire to help him instead of going to races in NC, MI, ME and GA," Maddux contended. "Texas voters don't like him, don't trust him, and won't show up to vote for him in November."

Former Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley emerged as their parties’ nominees in the North Carolina primaries — and traders on the prediction market Kalshi are already zeroing in on November.

Prediction markets currently give Democrats a 78% chance of winning North Carolina’s Senate seat, compared to 22% for Republicans. More than $160,000 has been wagered on the general election outcome, signaling growing market conviction that the race leans blue.

Cooper and Whatley are each priced at 99% to secure their respective nominations, reflecting what traders see as settled primaries. That has shifted attention squarely to the general election in a state that has long been considered a battleground.

Still, with months to go before ballots are cast, the market reflects expectations, not guarantees. If the pricing holds, the Tar Heel State may be shaping up as a clearer Democratic opportunity than previous cycles suggested.

Traders on prediction market platform Kalshi are making bold bets that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico are barreling toward their parties’ Senate nominations ahead of Tuesday’s high-stakes primary showdown.

Kalshi data shows Talarico holding a commanding lead in the Democratic contest, with traders assigning him a 75% chance of securing the nomination. That gives the 36-year-old state representative a 49-point advantage over fellow Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett. More than $5.2 million has been wagered on this bet.

Odds on these markets don’t serve as formal forecasts, they do provide a real-time snapshot of trader expectations.

On the Republican side, traders are overwhelmingly backing Paxton. The conservative firebrand and longtime ally of President Donald Trump is given an 81% probability of defeating Sen. John Cornyn, who has represented Texas in the Senate since 2002. Roughly $2.2 million has been wagered on the GOP race.

North Carolina Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley thanked President Donald Trump and the Tarheel State voters who came out to support his bid Tuesday from a Charlotte-area restaurant.

“I want to thank President Donald J. Trump, for his strong and unwavering support in this race,” the former RNC chairman said.“His leadership has changed our country, and I am proud to stand with him in the fight to secure our border, to strengthen our economy and put America first.”

“Tonight we begin the next chapter of this campaign together.”Whatley illustrated the campaign as a choice between a career politician in former Gov. Roy Cooper – whom he claimed prioritized “radicalized special interests” from California and New York – and a candidate in himself who supports safer communities versus “protect[ing] criminals and illegal aliens to appease radical left-wing groups.”

“It was Roy Cooper who marched with Antifa and BLM while our cities were burning. In 2020, it was Roy Cooper who signed an executive order forcing cashless bail and pretrial release into our criminal justice system, creating a revolving door that put violent criminals back on the streets again and again and again,” Whatley said of the Nash County native who won his own primary on the Democratic side Tuesday.

“And it was Roy Cooper who released more than 4000 prisoners, including pedophiles, rapists and murderers, back into our communities. Among those on Cooper's list were 51 inmates serving life sentences, and DeCarlos Brown Jr, who went on to murder Iryna Zarutska. I stand with North Carolina families, and I will always back the blue,” Whatley said.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts to coax former North Carolina Attorney General and Governor, Roy Cooper, to run for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, his eventual agreement to run last summer was met with widespread enthusiasm and declarations of it being a major recruitment win for Democrats in the 2026 cycle.

"It’s hard to overstate the importance of getting Gov. Cooper to run for the Senate,” longtime Democratic strategist, Chris Moyer, told Fox News Digital after Cooper announced his bid for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina last summer. 

“His announcement is the latest indication that the Republicans’ Senate majority is at risk in 2026,” added Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

In his roughly four-decade career in politics, dating back to his time as a North Carolina state legislator in the 80s, Cooper has never lost an election. Although, he has been picky about which races he wants to run in. 

Cooper was unsuccessfully coaxed into running for the Senate in 2010 amid his tenure as North Carolina’s Attorney General. Polling at the time showed him as competitive to then-Republican Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. Cooper also withstood pressure to run for the Senate in 2021, instead deciding to finish out his full-term as governor, citing concerns about his GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson running North Carolina. Cooper, prior to holding office as governor, also turned down initial requests that he run for that office before eventually doing so. Cooper cannot run for governor again as he is term-limited out.