Is This the Nastiest Senate Race in America? Inside the Texas Primary Battle

from The Smerconish Podcast · host Ben Rowen, Michael Smerconish

Hear Ben and Michael break down: The GOP civil war between establishment and MAGA The brutal Cornyn ad targeting Paxton’s personal life Why Trump hasn’t endorsed (and whether he will) Democrats’ unexpected strategy to win back young men And whether “bro politics” and religious messaging can flip Texas Is this race headed for a runoff? Can moderation survive the primaries? And in 2026, does infidelity even matter to voters anymore? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What this episode covers

All eyes are on Texas. In what may be the hottest Senate race in America, incumbent Republican John Cornyn faces a fierce primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton — a candidate plagued by impeachment, scandal, and a headline-grabbing divorce. Meanwhile, Democrats are battling it out between firebrand Jasmine Crockett and faith-forward rising star James Talarico. Michael is joined by Ben Rowen, Senior Editor at Texas Monthly, to break it all down. Everything is bigger in Texas - listen in and rate, review, and share this podcast! Original air date 26 February 2026.

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Is This the Nastiest Senate Race in America? Inside the Texas Primary Battle

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This episode is 27 minutes long.

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This episode was published on February 27, 2026.

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