Texas and North Carolina Senate Races

Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will meet in a GOP Senate runoff, and Paxton says he will "stay in this race" even if former President Trump endorses Cornyn — an endorsement operatives say is increasingly likely as Republicans seek to avoid a costly, messy contest. The bruising intraparty fight has generated massive spending (Cornyn and allies have spent at least $64 million on TV ads since July, with nearly $100 million reported attacking Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt), and Republicans worry Paxton’s political baggage could weaken the party against Democrat James Talarico in the general election.