Texas Senate primary race: Trump-backed Paxton takes on Sen. Cornyn in GOP US Senate primary runoff

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced his support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Tuesday night following his decisive victory in the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff

“Congratulations to Attorney General Ken Paxton on tonight’s victory,” Cruz said in a statement. “He has my full support and endorsement as the Republican nominee.”

“Ken is a fearless conservative who spent years taking on Texas’s toughest battles as attorney general and has proven that he will always fight for and defend the Lone Star State,” Cruz continued. “He will continue that fight in the U.S. Senate, and I look forward to fighting alongside him.”

Cruz also addressed longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in the runoff.

“I also want to congratulate and thank my friend Senator John Cornyn for his many years of dedicated service to Texas and our country,” Cruz said. “It has been an honor to serve alongside him for over a decade. He spent decades fighting for the Lone Star State, and his service in the Senate has left a significant mark on Texas and the nation.”

Cruz then turned his attention to the general election, saying Republicans must unite to defeat Paxton’s November opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, a rising figure in the Democratic Party.

“Now, it’s time to unite to make sure that Texas stays Texas,” Cruz said. “James Talarico is radical, dangerous, and does not represent the values, ideas, or principles of the Lone Star State. Defeating him is critical."

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., expressed support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Tuesday night following his victory in the Lone Star State’s Republican Senate primary runoff.

“A vote for @KenPaxtonTX in November is a vote for a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America,” Barrasso wrote on X. “He has my endorsement and support.”

Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in Tuesday’s runoff election for the Republican nomination.

Barrasso also took aim at Paxton’s expected general election opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, who is viewed as a rising figure in the Democratic Party.

“James Talarico is a far-left extremist,” Barrasso said. “He is a rubber stamp for open borders, illegal immigrant criminals, and men playing in women’s sports.”

“Talarico is too radical for Texas,” he added.

Some supporters at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s election night watch party in Plano said their backing of the Republican incumbent long predated President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the race.

As attendees gathered around television screens Tuesday night awaiting results, several supporters described Paxton as a longtime favorite among Texas conservatives, arguing that Trump’s endorsement reinforced — rather than created — enthusiasm for his campaign.

“We were with Ken before Trump got involved,” one supporter said while standing near the ballroom stage as country and classic rock music played overhead. “The endorsement helped, but it came kinda late.”

Lisa Full of McKinney, Texas, echoed that sentiment in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“I was at the rally when Trump endorsed Paxton, and honestly, I felt like he already had the votes,” Full said.

“I don’t think the endorsement changed much for most people because we were already behind Paxton. It may have helped with some voters, but the majority of people I talked to were already supporting him.”

Christie Grubbs, a school teacher attending the event, told Fox News Digital she supported Paxton because of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, saying his response during that period helped earn her vote.

Sen. John Cornyn's runoff election night watch party at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin remained quiet as results poured in from polls across the state. Cornyn addressed those present around 8:15 p.m. Central Time.

There are no monitors or updates streaming into the room, which was set up with just just a simple podium and backdrop with a U.S. and Texas state flag. The room was primarily filled with members of the media busily clicking away at their computers. With very few supporters present, one could be heard saying she was going to watch the remainder of the race at the hotel bar.

Meanwhile, celebration erupted inside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s election night watch party in Plano on Tuesday evening as news networks called the race in his favor.

Supporters packed into the ballroom burst into cheers and applause as the victory announcement flashed across television screens positioned throughout the venue. Some attendees waved campaign signs and raised their drinks in celebration, while others embraced and snapped photos near campaign banners.

Chants broke out across sections of the venue as country music played overhead. Campaign staff and longtime supporters moved toward the front of the ballroom as attendees gathered near the stage before Paxton addressed his crowd as well.

Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

Celebration erupted inside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s election night watch party in Plano on Tuesday evening as news networks called the race in his favor.

Supporters packed into the ballroom burst into cheers and applause as the victory announcement flashed across television screens positioned throughout the venue. Some attendees waved campaign signs and raised their drinks in celebration, while others embraced and snapped photos near campaign banners.

The crowd had spent much of the evening mingling over plates of barbecue brisket, nachos and french fries while awaiting results. But the mood inside the room quickly shifted once the race was called, with chants breaking out across sections of the venue as country music played overhead.

Campaign staff and longtime supporters moved toward the front of the ballroom as attendees gathered near the stage in anticipation of remarks from Paxton later in the night. Songs including "YMCA" by the Village People, Van Halen’s “Jump” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” played throughout the ballroom as supporters celebrated the victory.

The upscale watch party featured classic Texas fare, including shredded chicken and slow-roasted brisket served in cast-iron skillets, along with a nacho bar stocked with guacamole, shredded cheese and pickled jalapeños. A charcuterie display with fruit, cheeses and nuts offered lighter options for guests.

At the bar, supporters ordered ranch waters, margaritas and Shiner Bock beers as the atmosphere turned increasingly jubilant following the race call. By 8 p.m. local time, the event had taken on the feel of a full-fledged victory celebration, with supporters crowding around televisions and chanting Paxton’s name as final results continued to come in.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) slammed Democratic Party candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, James Talarico, in a statement ahead of the polls closing Tuesday night in the state's slate of primary runoffs.

"A state President Trump won by nearly 14 points isn’t going to elect James Talarico — a radical leftist who thinks God is nonbinary and that Texas should be a welcome mat for illegals," NRSC Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said "He is the most dangerous flank of the far left. Texas isn’t swapping brisket for open borders."

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

A deep-pocketed and influential conservative political group, Club for Growth, is jumping into Texas’ Senate fight behind Ken Paxton, endorsing the Trump-backed attorney general while its affiliated Win It Back PAC is set to launch a new ad branding Democratic nominee James Talarico a “woke weirdo for Senate.”

Talarico will face the winner of Tuesday’s Republican runoff between Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in November.

The “Davy Crockett” ad seeks to define Talarico as culturally out of step with Texas voters, highlighting past comments about pronouns, race, Christianity, gender and meat consumption.

The ad mocks Talarico as “the weirdest candidate for Senate the Lone Star State has ever seen,” saying he is “fighting for all six genders and tens of thousands of species” and joking that his “11th commandment” is “thou shalt not smoke brisket.”

The ad will start running tomorrow morning, Fox News Digital was told.

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

While taking to social media to post several endorsements for the Republican primary runoff, Texas Sen. Angela Paxton omitted any mention of her husband Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate primary battle against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

In an X post Tuesday afternoon, she urged Republicans to vote in various statewide races — even highlighting the attorney general seat her husband is vacating.

The glaring non-endorsement represents a sharp departure for the state senator who was previously a key fixture in her husband's political campaigns and stood by him during his 2023 impeachment trial over corruption allegations — which included claims of an extramarital affair.

Angela Paxton previously announced she is ending their 38-year marriage on "biblical grounds," saying that "in light of recent discoveries," remaining in the marriage no longer honors God, herself or her children.

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Alex Bruesewitz, a communications advisor for President Donald Trump credited with helping get celebrity performer Nicki Minaj to endorse the president's policies, campaigned against two longtime Republicans running in major elections Tuesday night.

Bruesewitz called John Cornyn, who is battling Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a GOP runoff election Tuesday night, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, "Republicans in name only" using the acronym "RINO" in a post on X ahead of the night's races.

"Texas, today you have a real shot at defeating TWO anti-MAGA RINOs: John Cornyn is facing Ken Paxton. Chip Roy is running against Mayes Middleton for Attorney General," he posted Tuesday. "Never forget: both Cornyn and Roy spent years working against Trump and actively tried to defeat him in 2024. They both need to go! Get out and vote for the MAGA candidates NOW!"

Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s Senate runoff, saying Cornyn “was not supportive of me when times were tough,” while praising Paxton as a “true MAGA Warrior who has always delivered for Texas.”

Roy has also drawn Trump’s ire despite his hardline conservative record, including after he backed Ron DeSantis over Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary. Trump publicly called Roy a “RINO” and discussed recruiting a primary challenger against him.

A county-wide voting machine and poll book outage in Fort Bend County, Texas, has severely disrupted voting, prompting local officials and the Democratic Party to urge residents to request provisional ballots.

While efforts are currently underway to extend polling hours as machines are updated, the Fort Bend County Democratic Party issued a stark warning to voters: extended hours may not guarantee a counted vote.

The party noted that during a similar voting disruption in Dallas County's March Primary, the Texas Supreme Court ruled ballots cast after 7 p.m. local time were legally ineligible to be counted.

Precinct Four commissioner Dexter McCoy told voters not to let the technical glitches deter them, advising residents to "stay in line" and ensure their vote is documented.

"Go to your nearest voting location and cast your ballot, even if it needs to be a provisional ballot," McCoy wrote in a statement. "Every eligible voter deserves to have their voice heard, and no voter should walk away believing their vote does not matter. ... Do not give up. Stay in line, ask questions if you need help, and make sure your ballot is cast."

At Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s watch party in Plano, guests are being treated to a menu that leans heavily into classic Texas comfort food.

The spread features shredded chicken and slow-roasted barbecue brisket served in cast-iron skillets, along with a “deluxe” nacho bar and a fully loaded french fry bar.

Loads of guacamole, shredded cheese and pickled jalapeños round out the spread — all the traditional fixings you’d expect to find at a Texas political gathering. For attendees looking for lighter fare, there’s also a charcuterie table stocked with fresh fruit, cheeses and assorted nuts.

Servers circulated through the ballroom throughout the evening, refreshing trays and checking on guests as supporters gathered around televisions waiting for election results to roll in.

The drink menu, however, may leave some guests doing a double take.

The credit card-only bar has sodas priced at $9, while house wine — including a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and a California Pinot Noir — is going for $19 a glass. Premium mixed drinks, including margaritas and ranch waters, cost $18, while a beloved Texas Shiner Bock beer is listed at $14.

The atmosphere inside the venue felt equal parts campaign rally and upscale reception, with attendees mingling over plates of barbecue and Tex-Mex staples as country music played in the background and campaign staff moved through the crowd.

The music in the ballroom has mostly been classic country songs. There's one large monitor showing Fox News' coverage of the race.

Some guests snapped photos near campaign signage and television cameras, while others huddled around tables discussing early turnout numbers and election night expectations.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, is framing the battle for the Texas GOP ticket as a stark choice between the "old school GOP" and a proven conservative "fighter."

During an interview with CNN, Gill took aim at incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, criticizing him for having a "long history" of supporting amnesty.

Instead, Gill is championing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the job, citing his record in the AG's office and highlighting him as a relentless advocate who will defend Texas values in Washington, D.C.

"The people in Texas are looking for somebody who's going to do what they said they were going to do on the campaign trail," Gill said. "I believe that's not John Cornyn, that is Ken Paxton."

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, threw his support behind Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is running for Texas attorney general.

"Texans: Please vote for Chip Roy today," Lee wrote in an X post Tuesday afternoon. "He’s a proven lawyer, conservative, and American patriot—exactly who you need as Texas Attorney General."

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is pushing back against claims that he is a vegan after catching heat from President Donald Trump and top Republicans ahead of Tuesday's primary race.

Fending off the accusations during an interview on far-left news outlet MeidasTouch, Talarico said the the dietary rumors were untrue — citing his Lone Star State roots and taking a swing at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

"I’m an eighth-generation Texan," Talarico told the outlet. "I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment. And if all they have on me is lying about me being a vegan, I feel pretty good about our chances this November."

Amid the backlash, the Talarico campaign blasted out a photo of the candidate wearing a Texas flag shirt and taking a massive bite out of a turkey leg. The photo was captioned: "Official Statement from James Talarico on Vegan Accusations."

The dietary controversy ignited when Trump told reporters "you can’t get elected as a vegan in Texas," an apparent reference to an unearthed 2022 video where Talarico called reducing meat consumption an "existential" necessity and boasted about running a "non-meat campaign."

The resurfaced clip drew fierce backlash from Texas Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, who labeled Talarico a "freak" who wants to "ban BBQ."

Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

During an appearance Tuesday on Fox News' "The Story," Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters highlighted President Donald Trump's dominant track record in picking conservative winners, with an undefeated 37-0 streak in primary contests.

"I always say it's like a Disney fast pass: you go right to the front if you get that endorsement," Gruters said.

The comments come amid a tense race as four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is challenged by state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently secured an endorsement from the president.

Gruters emphasized the conservative base "loves the president," noting that when Trump backs a candidate, "those candidates usually win."

While the RNC maintains neutrality during primary races to let the process "play out," he said the committee is already aggressively laying the groundwork for the midterm elections.

"No matter what happens, we're going to be there to make sure we pick up the flag of our primary winner, and we're going to make sure that we take them all the way through the November race to make that we're successful in winning this Texas seat," Gruters said.

Campaign managers for Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, told FOX 26 they are calling for a poll hour extension following reports that voting machines in Fort Bend County have been down since at least 3:15 p.m. local time, with no clear timeline for when they will be restored.

Fort Bend County officials have confirmed the outages.

"To every voter in Fort Bend County: please still go vote. Officials are working to fix this as quickly as possible. In the meantime, eligible voters may cast a provisional ballot. Your vote matters, and we want you to cast it," Menefee wrote in a statement to affiliate FOX 26 Houston.

"Fort Bend County officials must do what is necessary to extend poll hours tonight," he continued. "Voters should not lose a single minute of their right to vote because of a technical failure outside of their control. The right to vote is too important to shortchange anyone."

The Menefee campaign said it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as they are available.

Fort Bend County's election administrator confirmed there is currently a county-wide issue with their poll book, according to a report from affiliate FOX 26 Houston.

The check-in poll book stopped working after a bad file uploaded, temporarily suspending operations, according to the report.

While workers attempt to find a solution, voters are able to check in or cast their ballots provisionally.

Polls close statewide at 7 p.m. local time. Most polls are in Central time and close at 8 p.m. EDT, while polls in Mountain time close at 9 p.m. EDT.

In the March primary, The Associated Press reported results at 8 p.m. ET, when most polls closed.

By about 11:40 p.m. ET, the outlet reported 75% of the vote had been counted. Nearly 100% of vote results were released by the following morning.

The battle for the GOP Senate nomination in Texas is exposing a sharp divide among Republican voters at the polls.

Four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing a fierce runoff challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Despite the Trump nod, some loyal Republicans are sticking with the establishment incumbent.

Voters like retired teacher Debbie Burdeaux told The Associated Press Cornyn has "done a good job for this state," while expressing a strong distaste for his challenger.

“I don’t have a problem with Trump,” Burdeaux told the outlet. “But he doesn’t have any effect on my vote.”

Cornyn supporters' primary concern centers on Paxton's past controversies, which include an acquittal following a 2023 impeachment effort and allegations of infidelity.

"[Paxton] is a disgrace," Burdeaux said. “I want nothing to do with him.”

However, those in Paxton's corner appeared to be unbothered by his past criminal investigations or impeachment drama.

"He’s a fighter. He’s a person of action," Jeffrey Sonnier, 72, told the AP.

Other supporters said they are willing to forgive his personal shortcomings, with Daniel Vega, 18, noting that "we all make mistakes" and arguing that because Paxton has repented, it is time to "move on."

Alabama has escalated the battle over its congressional boundaries, filing a formal notice of intention to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday after a three-judge federal appeals court panel struck down the state's proposed GOP-friendly map.

The lower court's ruling blocked a map that would have given Republicans an electoral edge and instead ordered the state to use a map featuring two majority-Black districts that heavily favor Democrats.

While the case has not yet been officially docketed at the high court, the appeal will go directly to Justice Clarence Thomas before being referred to his conservative-majority colleagues for full consideration.

From there, a briefing schedule will be established, and an order on enforcement will follow.

The formal filing makes good on a promise by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who blasted the lower court's ruling earlier Tuesday and promised to take the fight to Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court has yet to formally acknowledge receipt of the appeal, but further updates are expected once the case is officially docketed.

Fox News' Bill Mears contributed to this report.

Moments after President Donald Trump made his pick in the Texas Senate race, the mood among Senate Republicans immediately shifted.

Several were already en route to their weekly, closed-door lunch preparing to debate the now-stalled immigration funding package and lay out the road ahead for what was set to be a blistering week in the upper chamber.

But Trump’s decision to pick Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, turned even the chattiest of lawmakers stone-faced; some worry that the choice will jeopardize a seat that has been safely Republican for decades.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that she was "supremely disappointed" by the move.

"I think that this puts that seat in jeopardy," Murkowski said. "Based on the numbers that I’ve seen, yeah. How does that help strengthen the president’s hand when we lose a state like Texas?"

The runoff winner will face insurgent Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who easily toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, earlier this year and has been racking up endorsements from high-profile Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who chaired the Senate GOP’s campaign arm that clinched the majority in 2024, told Fox News Digital that he was still backing Cornyn.

"I do believe we are going to pull Texas, but I think John Cornyn was the safest bet," Daines said.

Click here to read the full story by Fox News Digital's Alex Miller.

As voters head to the polls today in Texas, GOP Sen. John Cornyn is warning the longtime red state is "at risk" of Democrats pulling off a historic upset for a critical Senate seat.

Cornyn’s primary race against challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton finally comes to a head in today’s runoff election. After what has been a particularly bruising primary, Cornyn expressed his worry that Republicans stand to lose a seat that would be devastating for the party’s hopes of retaining a majority in the upper chamber.

Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of Election Day, Cornyn touted Texas as "the most conservatively governed state in the country," making it a "land of opportunity and where the American dream is still very much alive."

"But I think all of that's at risk, depending on how this primary runoff turns out, because I think Ken Paxton's flaws and the baggage he brings to the general election are going to be exploited up to the fullest by James Talarico and by Democrats," he said.

Whoever emerges Tuesday night will have to face state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic rising star who many in the party believe has broad enough appeal to finally flip the state for the first time in over two decades.

Cornyn expressed worry about Talarico’s fundraising abilities, citing the $27 million he raised in the first quarter of the year. He asserted that if Paxton wins, "there will be a tsunami of money coming into the state from outside."

Click here to read the full story by Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo and Paul Steinhauser.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is standing firm on her state's right to draw its own congressional districts after federal judges temporarily blocked the use of Alabama's 2023 congressional map.

In a statement Tuesday, Ivey threw her full support behind Attorney General Steve Marshall's decision to appeal what she called an "unsurprising decision" to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The governor expressed hope that the nation's high court will intervene in the ongoing redistricting battle and allow the state to move forward with its scheduled Aug. 11 Special Primary Election.

Emphasizing state sovereignty over federal intervention, Ivey said "Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best."

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries unleashed a blistering attack on President Donald Trump and Republicans Tuesday, accusing the GOP of trying to "cheat" in the upcoming elections following a federal court ruling on Alabama's congressional map.

In a statement responding to the decision, Jeffries celebrated the ruling by a federal three-judge panel — which included two Trump appointees — that rejected Alabama's attempt to reinstate its 2023 congressional district lines.

The court ruled that reverting to the 2023 map represented a "districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination."

The top House Democrat used the legal update to take aim at his political rivals, claiming "Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans have failed the American people."

Jeffries went on to accuse the GOP of "concluding that the only way they can win in November is to cheat," adding their "desperate power grab hit a wall" with the court's decision.

He vowed that House Democrats will continue to battle what he described as a "corrupt Republican scheme to racially gerrymander congressional maps in order to rig the midterms," and called on the Supreme Court to "do the right thing" if Alabama seeks judicial approval to violate the 14th Amendment.

"The American people must be permitted to decide who gets to represent them in Congress, not Donald Trump," Jeffries said.

Sen. John Cornyn is firing back at Ken Paxton following President Donald Trump's endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state's GOP Senate runoff.

In an interview with "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones Tuesday, Cornyn critiqued his intra-party rival. claiming "Texans have learned that you can't trust the thing that Paxton says."

The senator noted Paxton "lied to taxpayers [and] his senior staff," was impeached by a Republican-led House of Representatives, and left taxpayers on the hook for a $6.6 million judgment from whistleblowers.

Those whistleblowers, Cornyn pointed out, went to the FBI after Paxton allegedly interfered with a federal investigation into one of his campaign donors.

Despite Trump throwing his support behind Paxton, Cornyn defended his own conservative record and his loyalty to the president's agenda.

"I supported the president's agenda at the time that he's been president," Cornyn said. "I'm proud of the fact that we confirmed hundreds of ... justices, including three new Supreme Court justices."

He also reminded voters of his crucial role as the Republican whip — the chief vote counter — during Trump's first term, where he helped secure the passage of the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

"I've been an ally of the president. He's called me a friend," Cornyn said. "I understand he's made his choice, but only Texans get a chance to vote in this primary. I'm hoping that those who did not vote early, and the 75% who didn't vote at all in the primary, will come out today and cast their vote."

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is firing back after a federal appeals court struck down the state's longstanding congressional map, calling the decision a temporary roadblock on the path to an eventual legal victory.

In a defiant statement released following the Tuesday ruling in Allen v. Milligan, Marshall said he is ready to escalate the fight to the nation's highest court.

The three-judge panel's decision blocked a GOP-friendly map that would have given Republicans an electoral edge by erasing a Democrat-held seat in the southeastern part of the state. Instead, the court ordered the state to use a map featuring two majority-Black districts that heavily favor Democrats.

"I am disappointed, but not at all surprised, that the three-judge panel has again struck down Alabama’s blandly unobjectionable congressional map that has been in place for decades," Marshall said.

The attorney general argued the ruling lacks legal merit, noting he found nothing in the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 11 vacatur order that would justify the outcome.

Marshall announced that Alabama will "immediately appeal this decision to the Supreme Court."

While Tuesday's ruling marks a setback for GOP redistricting efforts ahead of the November midterm elections, Marshall painted a picture of ultimate triumph.

"Know this — in my mind, it is not a matter of whether we win this case, only when," he said.

A federal appeals court blocked a proposed GOP-friendly Alabama congressional map on Tuesday, dealing a temporary setback to Republicans’ redistricting efforts ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Alabama Republicans sought to use a previously blocked 2023 congressional map following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling curbing the use of race in the drawing of electoral districts that helped minority communities increase their representation in Congress.

Under that map, Republicans were slated to gain one electoral seat by erasing a Black-majority seat held by Democrats in the southeastern part of the state. 

However, the three-judge panel said Republicans must continue to use a map that has two majority Black districts where Democrats hold significant advantages. 

"Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination," the federal judges wrote. "We again cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than intentionally discriminatory."

Alabama Republicans are expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Earlier in May, the court allowed the state to proceed with the 2023 map, while sending the years-long case back to the U.S. District Court in Birmingham for reconsideration.

Republicans' redistricting setback comes as Trump has urged GOP-led states in the South to aggressively redraw their congressional maps to benefit the GOP, following the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling.

Tennessee Republicans drew Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., out of his Memphis-anchored district where Black voters constituted a majority earlier this month, adding the seat to the GOP column. Similar redistricting efforts are underway in South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

Read the full story by Fox News Digital's Adam Pack here.

DALLAS — Across the Dallas metroplex and its fast-growing suburbs, Republican voters repeatedly invoked President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton when explaining their support for the Texas attorney general in the GOP Senate runoff against Sen. John Cornyn.

The race is unfolding as Texas continues to experience rapid population growth, particularly in the suburbs surrounding Dallas, where Republicans are competing to shape the future direction of the party.

"Ken Paxton. Put all three of us, one, two, three down for Paxton," Carolyn Harvey of Celina, Texas, told Fox News Digital, pointing to her group.

"He’s going to be good for Trump," another voter chimed in. "And what’s good for Trump is good for us, too."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias

Sen. John Cornyn, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades, is fighting for his political life in the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff in Texas on Tuesday.

The senator, who took office in late 2002, has served in the upper chamber of the nation's legislature for more than 23 years.

If Cornyn were to win and serve another six-year term, he would end up serving in the Senate for just over 30 years.

Last week President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Senate seat.

President Donald Trump, who last week endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, issued a Truth Social post on Tuesday urging Texans to vote for the candidate.

Paxton is facing off against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas GOP U.S. Senate primary runoff on Tuesday.

"Texas, Vote for Ken Paxton, our Country’s BEST Attorney General!" Trump declared in the Tuesday Truth Social post.

Paxton thanked the president.

"Thank you, @DonaldTrump! Polls are now open. Bring five friends with you. Post your photos to remind Texans that today is election day! Let's work together to make Texas great," Paxton declared in a post on X.

The bitter runoff battle between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Senate GOP nomination is grabbing top billing, but it isn’t the only statewide showdown in the Lone State State on Tuesday.

There are also Democratic and Republican contests for state attorney general in the race to replace Paxton.

In the expensive GOP showdown, four-term Rep. Chip Roy is battling state Sen. Mayes Middleton, the president of an independent oil and gas company.

Middleton, who edged Roy in the March primary, has dished out roughly $17 million of his own money to back his campaign. But Roy, a former Texas assistant attorney general and former chief of staff to conservative Sen. Ted Cruz, received a late surge in fundraising from major backers.

"We've gotten the financial support necessary to compete with my self-funder opponent, who's got his inheritance money that he can just spend," Roy highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the runoff.

Roy has argued that Middleton's lack of courtroom experience would make him a poor attorney general.

"Having been the first assistant attorney general makes me ready on day one, but it's also that I've been a prosecutor, I've been in court, I've sat in front of a judge, stood in front of a judge, argued cases, and he has never done any of those things. And we think those things should matter," Roy emphasized.

Middleton has pushed back, questioning Roy's conservative credentials and running ads claiming Roy's "betrayed MAGA" as he has pointed to the times the congressman has broken with Trump over policy.

"Chip Roy is someone that has spent a decade fighting the president. He actually said President Trump committed impeachable conduct on the House floor," Middleton told Fox News Digital. "Instead of spending 10 years fighting President Trump, what have I done? I've spent 10 years fighting to defeat the left, which is what matters the most in this race."

The winner of the GOP runoff will likely face Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson, who came close to clinching his party's nomination in the primary. Johnson is facing off against former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Peter Pinedo

AUSTIN, TX - President Donald Trump has a new target this week as he takes aim at Republican critics — longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.

Trump is targeting Cornyn as "VERY disloyal" as he backs Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a major Trump ally and MAGA firebrand, in Tuesday's combustible and expensive runoff election for the GOP Senate nomination in the right-leaning state. The ballot box showdown serves as the latest test of Trump's immense grip over the Republican Party and the strength of his endorsements in GOP nomination races.

The winner of the runoff will face off against rising Democratic Party star state Rep. James Talarico in the general election in a race that is among a handful that may decide if the Republicans hold their slim 53-47 majority in the Senate. Talarico, who topped progressive star Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a vocal Trump critic, in the March primary, is trying to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in Texas.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Peter Pinedo