Jazlyn Urrutia
Staff Writer
Texas elects two members to the United States Senate. U.S. senators serve six-year terms and represent the entire state at the federal level. Senators are responsible for drafting and voting on federal legislation, confirming presidential appointments, approving treaties, and serving on congressional committees that oversee federal agencies and policy areas.
The U.S. Senate also plays a key role in impeachment trials and provides advice and consent on nominations to the federal judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
To qualify for the office, a candidate must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years and a resident of Texas at the time of the election.
Because U.S. senators are elected statewide, they represent all Texans rather than a specific district or region.
Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is seeking re-election. There are 13 candidates in total running for this office. The Mesquite chose the strongest candidates based on polling data and campaign funding.
Here is an overview of the top five candidates on the ballot for the U.S. Senate:
John Cornyn (Republican incumbent)
John Cornyn is originally from Houston but grew up in San Antonio. He graduated from Trinity University with a degree in journalism and later earned a law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1977. He used his law degree to defend doctors and other lawyers in malpractice suits.
Cornyn began his political career in 1984, winning a district judge seat in Bexar County. After six years, he became a member of the Texas Supreme Court and later served as Texas attorney general. He has represented Texas in the U.S. Senate since 2002, serving the state for more than 40 years.
Policy Stances:
- Advocates for Second Amendment rights of veterans, law enforcement and citizens.
- Allows taxpayers more access to see where their money is going in an honest exchange of information to ensure government accountability.
- Provides assistance for those in need, including addressing issues impacting foster youth, cracking down on human trafficking, reforming criminal justice and providing rehabilitation, banning abortion, and improving child support.
- Supports reforming the healthcare system.
Jasmine Crockett (Democratic)
Jasmine Crockett was born in St. Louis. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rhodes College and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. She began her legal career as a public defender in Bowie County and later operated her own private practice in Dallas, focusing on criminal defense and civil rights.
From 2021 to 2023, Crockett represented District 100 in the Texas House of Representatives. In 2023, she was elected to represent Texas’ 30th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Crockett is known for confrontations with Republican politicians and for building a large following on TikTok.
A Texas Public Opinion Research survey indicates Crockett leads with Black, noncollege-educated and middle-aged voters. She is endorsed by Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Collin Allred, D-Dallas, and the San Antonio Express-News.
Policy Stances:
- Supports Medicare for All.
- Advocates for women’s reproductive rights.
- Supports gradually raising the federal minimum wage to $17.
- Calls for federal regulation of artificial intelligence to protect civil rights and privacy.
- Supports reinstating the corporate tax rate of 35%.
- Advocates increased technology for immigration enforcement.
- Supports additional resources to expedite asylum processing for eligible applicants.
James Talarico (Democratic)
James Talarico is a Texas native from Round Rock who earned a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University.
He applied his academic training as a middle school teacher at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives, taking office in 2018. In 2022, he began pursuing a master of divinity while continuing to serve as the representative for District 50.
Talarico has drawn national attention for widely shared social media videos in which he critiques the role of religion in politics.
A survey by Texas Public Opinion Research indicates Talarico leads with White, Latino, and college-educated voters. He is endorsed by singer Bobby Pulido, the Houston Chronicle, and the Austin American-Statesman.
Policy Stances:
- Opposes private school vouchers.
- Supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15.
- Advocates expanding Medicare.
- Supports access to abortion in line with Democratic Party positions.
- Calls for increased scrutiny of political donations.
- Seeks greater accountability for state and federal law enforcement agencies.
- Supports immigration reform that creates improved pathways to citizenship.
Ken Paxton (Republican)
Ken Paxton is a Texan native and the attorney general of Texas, a position he has held since 2015. He received his bachelor’s and graduate degrees from Baylor University and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has worked as an attorney, management consultant, and in-house legal counsel for J.C. Penney Co. Paxton is also affiliated with the Allen Chamber of Commerce, Marketplace Ministries Board of Directors, McKinney Chamber of Commerce, McKinney Rotary, and Stonebriar Community Church. He resides in McKinney, Texas.
As attorney general, Paxton has led lawsuits challenging federal regulations and focused on consumer protection and state legal matters. He has also faced state and federal investigations related to his office, which have received national media attention.
Policy Stances:
- Supports President Trump’s legislative priorities, including tax cuts, border security, and reducing government overreach.
- Seeks to challenge the D.C. political establishment and fight for the American people.
- Advocates for strong national sovereignty and completion of the border wall.
- Upholds conservative principles, including gun rights, protecting the unborn, and opposing transgender participation in girls’ sports and “woke” classroom policies.
- Promotes an America First foreign policy that prioritizes U.S. interests and citizen safety.
- Favors fiscal conservatism, including cutting taxes and reducing government spending.
Wesley Hunt (Republican)
Wesley Hunt was born and raised in Houston and attended St. John’s School. He comes from a military family and accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point after high school. Hunt served eight years in the U.S. Army as an Apache helicopter pilot, completing one deployment to Iraq with 55 combat missions and two deployments to Saudi Arabia as a diplomatic liaison.
Hunt has served as a U.S. congressman since 2023. He has sponsored legislation to give law enforcement agencies greater flexibility in using federal grants for recruitment and to protect Americans from litigation by state-affiliated or sanctioned Russian actors.
Policy Stances:
- Supports protecting the rights of the unborn and identifies as pro-life.
- Advocates for securing the southern border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
- Supports law enforcement and improving grant flexibility for federal funding.
- Seeks to limit foreign-influenced litigation that could target U.S. entities.
