The latest federal campaign finance offer a clearer picture of the financial landscape in Texas’ high-profile U.S. Senate race. While incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) continues to lead the field in overall cash on hand (COH), Democratic contenders posted sizable fundraising totals that suggest a competitive primary and a potentially expensive election cycle ahead.
According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, Cornyn reported $1,073,621 in receipts for the most recent reporting period and $5,861,807 in COH as of the deadline. Earlier in January, his campaign announced that, when combined with affiliated committees — including the Cornyn Victory Committee and the Cornyn Lonestar Victory Fund — total fundraising exceeded $7 million.
Cornyn faces a contested Republican primary. His challengers include Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38) and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. On the Democratic side, state Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) are set to compete in the party’s March primary.
Democratic Primary Shows Strong Financial Backing
Both Democratic candidates reported multimillion-dollar totals, with Talarico slightly outpacing Crockett in both receipts and cash on hand.
Talarico disclosed $6,833,973 in receipts and $7,140,155 in COH since launching his Senate campaign. Those figures had been partially announced earlier in the month. In a statement, Talarico described his campaign as “people-powered” and emphasized that it does not accept corporate PAC contributions.
“I am proud to have received small dollar contributions from working people in nearly every county in this state,” Talarico said, adding that his campaign raised $6.2 million in its first three weeks.
Crockett reported $6,531,174 in receipts and $5,620,636 in COH. Her totals include a $4.5 million transfer from her U.S. House campaign account to her Senate campaign, which officially launched on December 8.
Republican Challengers Trail Cornyn Financially
Among Cornyn’s Republican challengers, Hunt reported $429,211 in receipts for the most recent period and $778,660 in COH as of January 31. His campaign stated that, across all committees, he has raised more than $1 million from over 40,000 donors since entering the race in early October 2025.
“I am overwhelmed with the support our movement has garnered from tens of thousands of supporters across Texas,” Hunt said in a press release, while also criticizing Cornyn’s campaign spending and polling performance.
Paxton reported $1,115,340 in receipts and $3,665,447 in COH in his fourth-quarter filing, placing him ahead of Hunt in available funds but still behind Cornyn.
Party Support and Outside Spending
The broader Republican landscape remains in flux. While a potential endorsement from President Donald Trump has not yet been confirmed, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) continues to back Cornyn. The committee has indicated it prefers investing early to support Cornyn’s re-election rather than funding what it views as a more costly general election campaign involving Paxton.
Over the weekend, the NRSC launched an attack video targeting Hunt, focusing on his absences from congressional votes while campaigning in Texas.
Looking Ahead
Texas’ U.S. Senate primary is scheduled for March 3. Candidates will have one additional opportunity to report and publicize fundraising figures ahead of the election, with the next finance report due February 19.
