What's at stake for Democrats and Republicans in the Texas Senate primaries

Tomorrow, voters head to the polls in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas.

But it's in the Lone Star State, where competitive races on both sides of the aisle have fueled

unprecedented spending.

Political correspondent Lisa Desjardins has more on what's at stake in Texas' U.S. Senate

race.

Welcome to the race for the U.S. Senate, Texas sized.

With two larger-than-life primaries, one in each party.

Here is on the ballot.

I believe voters still care about their elected officials, and they want people who will

tell them the truth.

The incumbent Republican John Cornyn faces two other Texas lawmakers, Attorney General Ken

Paxton, and Congressman Wesley Hunt.

It's the fight of his 24-year career.

He's tried and true in the minds of many voters in Texas.

Tony Polahetski is a journalist with the Austin-American statesman.

Cornyn is running as experienced and battle-tested.

However, while he was once ranked among the most conservative senators, now...

Paxton and his voters and his supporters have really been able to nurture this idea that

John Cornyn has not been hard-wright enough.

Paxton's policies are ultra-maga.

I want you to know, I'm not going up to Washington, D.C. to join the swamp club.

As A.G., Paxton emphatically enforced the states abortion ban and filed the lawsuit

challenging the 2020 presidential election results.

Terry General, Paxton, please rise.

But he has faced sharp scrutiny.

In 2023, the Texas House passed 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton for bribery

and abuse of power, with charges that he had an affair and got the woman a job as part

of a quid pro quo.

The state senate narrowly acquitted him, but his wife filed for divorce, and Cornyn has

put out this new ad.

Cricket Ken Paxton cheated on his wife.

She's divorcing him on biblical grounds.

It is personal, and Paxton responded so.

My dad is a really good guy, loves God, he loves his family, and he loves his country.

His daughter, son-in-law, grandkids, and him on FaceTime.

Blahesky says it may work.

He has successfully dodged an overcome so many allegations, and yet the MAGA base in particular

has continued to support him.

But what about the MAGA chief?

Well, thank you very much, everybody, and thrilled to be back in the great state of Texas.

President Donald Trump seems to be endorsing everyone.

We have a great attorney general, Ken Paxton, who is Ken, I Ken, I Ken, I Ken, and we have

a great senator, John Cornyn, hi John, thank you John.

For example, Friday.

And another friend of mine who is doing very well, Wesley Hunt, who is Wesley, Wesley,

Wesley Hunt, doing a good job.

As for Hunt, his dogged, criss-crossing of the state may mean neither Paxton nor Cornyn

can get a majority, which would force a runoff in May.

All that is again raising Texas Democrats hopes, even as they face their own brutal battle

between electeds, Austin Statehouse Representative James Talleriko, and Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine

Crockett.

You're spending more taxpayer resources arresting journalists than you are prosecuting

pedophiles and creeps.

In Capitol Hill, Crockett is a rhetorical brawler known for not pulling punches, as seen

with A.G.

Pam Bondy.

I completely don't get how it is that you're sitting at the top of DOJ, because you don't

seem to be good at your job.

She argues Democrats, in Texas, and across the country want a fighter.

Right now, people are not happy with the Democratic Party.

I've seen the polling.

What they want is someone who is going to be unafraid in the face of what we are facing

right now.

To win in November, I think she and I are committed to that.

Talleriko differs little from Crockett on policy, but enormously on style.

He leans into God and does not throw elbows.

My faith teaches me that love is the strongest force in the universe.

Talleriko rose to national prominence when he and other state Democrats left Texas to

delay GOP remapping efforts.

It's not the first time you've caused some drama.

For recently, he benefited after CBS blocked his interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert.

It went on YouTube instead, and Talleriko raised more than $2 million the next day.

For Democrats, it's an important decision about who is stronger and who is more electable,

and it could offer guideposts for Democrats nationally, including with Hispanic voters,

with whom Trump saw major gains in 2024.

We've seen President Trump's very aggressive immigration policies.

What we know is that a lot of those Hispanic voters appear to be shifting and walking away

from the president.

But in addition to even the immigration issue, they say is that the president has not delivered

in the way that they were hoping in the economy.

Democrats are raising cash and expectations in a high stakes year.

I'm hopeful that the country is going to decide and Texans will decide that this has

gone too far.

And that there'll be a change in the direction of our policies.

But that does not change their recent reality.

No Democrat has one statewide in more than 30 years.

There is so much hope and enthusiasm going into this race that this may be the time.

But keep in mind, Democrats and Texas are consistently used to having their hearts broken.

They think that every race, it could happen.

Yes, there is a path.

But that path is certainly not a straight path.

To win, both parties are pushing the opponent they want.

The governor and Republican interest groups are sending texts and ads to boost Crockett.

Speaking with Democrats, they largely think Paxton gives them the best chance.

Cornyn, the Republican incumbent, agrees.

If Kim Paxton is at the top of the ticket, we risk losing the Senate, see losing the

majority in the House of Representatives, and it will take the toll on everybody on

the ballot.

It is a five-way race in Texas that blares out a signal for 2026.

It will be a rugged and rough road to November.

For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Lisa Desjardins.