Overview

• Beto O’Rourke declined to commit to a 2026 Senate run on CNN’s “State of the Union,” saying “I don’t know” when asked if he will challenge Sen. John Cornyn
• O’Rourke has conducted town halls across Texas and nationwide to register voters, channel anger into action and gauge support for a potential campaign
• Former Rep. Colin Allred officially launched his Democratic primary bid earlier this month after his 2024 Senate defeat, citing his 2018 insurgent victory
• Sen. John Cornyn is locked in a competitive GOP primary against Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Democrats consider a weaker general election opponent
• Democrats point to the 2018 midterms—when insurgents like Allred and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher toppled well-funded incumbents—to bolster optimism for Texas statewide gains