By Olivia Beavers

GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw became the first House incumbent to lose in a 2026 primary, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night, marking a rebuke by voters of the Texas Republican who was once viewed as a rising star in the party.

GOP opponent Steve Toth, a Texas state representative who previously was a pastor at a Texas megachurch, soundly defeated Crenshaw. With about 77% of the vote counted, Toth had about 57% to 39% for Crenshaw.

Crenshaw regularly defended his MAGA credentials but President Trump didn't endorse the former Navy SEAL. The four-term congressman, who represents a district outside Houston, didn't vote to overturn the 2020 election and was an outspoken critic of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. His remarks fueled criticism that he lacked loyalty to Trump. Toth has branded himself a "true conservative," and won the backing of Turning Point USA, the conservative group founded by Charlie Kirk.

Other GOP incumbents were also headed into runoffs after failing to secure 50% of the vote. Texas Sen. John Cornyn is set to go head-to-head with his GOP opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a runoff, which will further exacerbate an already expensive race for the Senate GOP. Cornyn, once the Republican whip in the Senate, is a traditional conservative, while Paxton is a firebrand well-liked by MAGA voters.

Rep. Tony Gonzales was neck-and-neck with GOP primary opponent Brandon Herrera early Wednesday morning, with both candidates advancing to a runoff, the Associated Press projected, as the incumbent for the moment survived a scandal that threatened to derail his re-election bid.

Gonzales, a Navy veteran who is serving his third term in the House, was effectively tied with Herrera with about 77% of the vote counted. Gonzales' likely advancement to the runoff came despite calls from his own Republican colleagues for him to drop his re-election bid or resign altogether due to allegations that he had a sexual relationship with his staffer, who died last year after lighting herself on fire. Gonzales narrowly defeated Herrera in a runoff two years ago.

In a Democratic primary, Rep. Julie Johnson appeared likely to find herself in a runoff against former Rep. Colin Allred, who held the North Texas seat before leaving to run against Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024. Allred first launched another Senate bid this year, before withdrawing and filing to challenge Johnson for the congressional seat instead.

Crenshaw rose to national fame before he was even sworn in. He dismissed GOP outrage about an SNL skit mocking his eye patch, which was a result of the injuries Crenshaw sustained from an IED blast while deployed in Afghanistan. Crenshaw later leaned in, going on SNL and making humorous jabs at comedian Pete Davidson.

The reason for Crenshaw's loss depends on whom you ask. Some argue he got on the wrong side of MAGA, others argue he pursued unnecessary fights that hurt his support.

Crenshaw, who became known for his confrontational nature, repeatedly picked fights with members of his own party, including the populist conservative House Freedom Caucus. Allies to President Trump also increasingly began to question his loyalty to the president, amid various splits on policy and otherwise.

Crenshaw frequently engaged in social media fights with Republican podcasters and influencers, who criticized his approach. All of that earned the congressman his share of enemies, including Tucker Carlson, who dubbed Crenshaw "eyepatch McCain" -- a reference to the late Sen. John McCain -- and called Crenshaw one of the "dumbest, most liberal" Republicans.

Days before the election, Cruz publicly backed Toth. The endorsement followed Crenshaw voting against the ROTOR Act, a signature aviation safety bill written by Cruz.

Write to Olivia Beavers at Olivia.Beavers@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2026 01:35 ET (06:35 GMT)

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