El Paso's 2026 Primary Election Results: Surprises, Runoffs, and Unopposed Victories
By Staff
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Updated Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 9:38 PM
The dust is settling on El Paso's March 2026 primary election, and the results are in – well, most of them. While some races have clear winners, others are headed for runoffs, leaving voters with more decisions to make in May. But here's where it gets interesting: the El Paso County Commissioner races saw some unexpected upsets, with challengers unseating incumbents in two precincts.
Texas Races: A Mix of Dominance and Uncertainty
In the statewide races, incumbents largely held their ground. Greg Abbott secured a commanding 82% of the Republican vote for Governor, while Gina Hinojosa emerged as the Democratic frontrunner with 60.7%. Dan Patrick similarly dominated the Republican Lieutenant Governor race with 85%.
And this is the part most people miss: The Attorney General and U.S. Senate races on the Republican side are headed for runoffs. No candidate secured the required 50% majority, setting the stage for a May showdown between Mayes Middleton (41.4%) and Chip Roy (30.3%) for Attorney General, and Ken Paxton (40%) and John Cornyn (41%) for U.S. Senate. On the Democratic side, James Talarico secured a strong 73% for U.S. Senate, while Nathan Johnson leads the Attorney General race with 47%.
Local Races: Unopposed Victories and Tight Contests
El Paso's local races presented a mix of uncontested victories and tight competitions. Veronica Escobar, Mary Gonzalez, Vince Perez, Joe Moody, and Claudia Ordaz all secured their Democratic nominations unopposed. However, the Republican side saw more competition, with several races featuring multiple candidates. Notably, the El Paso County Judge race saw Minerva Torres Shelton emerge victorious with 62% of the Republican vote.
El Paso County Commissioner: Upsets and New Faces
The most surprising results came in the El Paso County Commissioner races. In Precinct 2, Miguel “Mike” Teran unseated incumbent David Stout with 51% of the vote. Similarly, Annette Griego defeated incumbent Sergio Coronado in Precinct 4 with 56%. These results signal a potential shift in local politics and highlight voter dissatisfaction with the status quo.
What Does This Mean for El Paso?
The 2026 primary election results paint a complex picture of El Paso's political landscape. While some races followed predictable patterns, others revealed surprising outcomes and a desire for change. The upcoming runoffs will be crucial in determining the final makeup of El Paso's representation at the state and local levels. What do you think about the election results? Are you surprised by any of the outcomes? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to sign up at https://kfoxtv.com/sign-up to stay informed about the latest developments in our community.
