Recent polling data from Emerson indicates a competitive landscape for the 2026 Texas Senate race. In a hypothetical general election matchup, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton leads Democratic candidate Colin Allred with 46% to 41%. Incumbent Senator John Cornyn also holds an advantage over Allred, polling at 45% compared to Allred's 38%. In the Republican primary, Cornyn leads with 30% support, closely followed by Paxton at 29%, with 37% of voters undecided. The Emerson poll, conducted with a rating of A- and surveying registered voters between August 11 and 12, reflects a closely contested primary and general election scenario in Texas. Additionally, the poll includes data on presidential preferences, showing Pete Buttigieg leading among Democrats at 22%, followed by Gavin Newsom at 20%, Kamala Harris at 17%, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 6%, and Bernie Sanders at 5%. On the GOP side, J.D. Vance leads with 45%, followed by Ted Cruz at 9%, Ron DeSantis at 6%, and Marco Rubio at 6%.