The Texas primary is detrimental with millennial candidates eyeing a seat that has been held by a boomer for nearly 25 years, as factions of both parties push for a new generation in Washington.
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), 44, jumped in the race last year to put his foot in the already competitive primary with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), 73, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 63.
“The first time John Cornyn became a politician, I was just 11 months old,” Hunt told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “That fact alone tells you everything you need to know about this race.
“This election is about the age of our leadership, and more importantly, how that leadership serves the people they represent,” he said. “My candidacy is about giving voters, especially younger voters, real representation, someone who is dealing with the same challenges they face every single day.”
Texas state Rep. James Talarico, 36, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), 44, are vying for the Democratic nomination after a push for younger candidates emerged in the party in recent years. The two millennial Democrats are set to debate Jan. 24 in Georgetown, Texas, ahead of early voting that begins Feb. 17.
Many in the Democratic Party have been pushing for a generational change since 2024 ushered in the Trump 2.0 era, calling for younger voices in office. Many established members face primaries from the younger generation heading into the 2026 midterm elections. A handful of these establishment Democrats — former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)— ultimately announced their retirements after receiving primary challenges.
The two Democratic hopefuls have thrived in new media settings, as both have had several viral social media moments over the last year, positioning themselves to largely campaign on these platforms.
Talarico has been creeping up in the polls, according to an Emerson College poll released last week that shows him leading Crockett by 9 points among likely Democratic voters, marking a large shift from a December poll.
Cornyn is the senior senator from the Lone Star State and was sworn into the upper chamber in 2002. The Republican Party focused much of its messaging during former President Joe Biden’s one term on a “new generation of leadership.”
“John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term,” Hunt said. “At 74 years old, he’s asking Texans to believe he should remain in the Senate until he’s 80. That’s a difficult case to make, and it gets harder every year. This race is about reality. It’s about accountability. And it’s about a new generation of leadership.”
The Republican primary is likely headed to a runoff after the March 3 primary, serving as the first primary election in the country. The Emerson poll has Paxton in the lead at 27%, Cornyn within margin of error at 26% and Hunt at 16%.
The millennials in the race have positioned themselves to have a life outside of politics after serving their time, if any of the three are elected to be the next generation in the Senate for Texas.
Hunt is a West Point graduate with an MBA from Cornell University, Talarico is in seminary school, and Crockett is a former prosecuting attorney whom many believe has TV aspirations after her time in politics.
The youngest senator is Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), 38, who faces a tough reelection battle come November. He was the first millennial elected to the upper chamber, which has an average age of nearly 64 years old, according to Congress.gov. While the average age in the upper chamber is nearly 64, the average age of U.S. adults sits at just around 40.
While many have been pushing for a new generation in Washington, Congress has had a record number of retirement announcements ahead of the November midterm elections, with nearly 50 House members and 11 senators announcing their plans to retire. While some are running for other offices, many plan to leave public office entirely.
While these candidates make the case for a younger generation, others argue the race isn’t about age.
DEMOCRATS FRET JASMINE CROCKETT MAY BE A TOUGH SELL STATEWIDE IN TEXAS
“This race isn’t about millennials versus boomers — it’s about competence versus inexperience,” Republican operative Dennis Lennox told the Washington Examiner. “Texans have a choice between seniority in the Senate with influence to protect the state’s interests or junior status and zero ability to ensure that Texas stays Texas. In an era when Republicans are fighting an entrenched bureaucracy and an aggressive progressive agenda, institutional knowledge is an asset, not a weakness. Cornyn knows how the system works—and more importantly, how to make it work for conservatives.
“Most Texans don’t wake up asking how old their senator is,” Lennox said. “They care about inflation, the border, crime, and national security. John Cornyn is on the right side of all those issues.”