The Austin Chronicle's editorial board released its slate of endorsements for the May 26, 2026 Texas primary runoff this week, urging Austin-area readers to fill out their ballots all the way down — not just at the top of the ticket.
Their picks lean entirely Democratic and stretch from federal races down to a contested seat on the Travis County Commissioners Court. Notably, the board issued a rare dual endorsement in one Texas House race, signaling internal disagreement about which approach the district needs more.
The Chronicle's endorsements at a glance:
The Chronicle's editorial framing reflects two pressures running through this runoff: holding gerrymandered Democratic seats against an organized statewide Republican machine, and choosing between insider experience and grassroots energy in races where both candidates would broadly align with the board's politics.
Statewide, the lieutenant governor and attorney general races carry the highest stakes on the runoff ballot. The AG runoff in particular has drawn outsized attention as both parties prepare for the November general election following Ken Paxton's primary defeat.
The Garcia-Galindo race in CD-35 has been one of the more pointed contests of the cycle, with the Chronicle's editorial language about Galindo's campaign style notably sharper than its assessments of other races.
Locally, the Precinct 4 commissioner race may have the most direct impact on day-to-day Austin governance, given the court's role in setting county property tax rates, transportation funding, and healthcare district oversight.
Early voting for the runoff begins next week. Voters who participated in the March Republican primary can only vote in the Republican runoff; those who voted Democratic in March are limited to the Democratic runoff. Texans who did not vote in March can choose either party's runoff — but only one.