The Texas Democrat whose remarks about imprisoning “American Zionists” sparked outrage from some of the biggest names in her own party saw her congressional hopes come crashing down Tuesday night, as voters rejected her in a closely watched primary runoff that had become a national embarrassment for Democrats.
Maureen Galindo, who had spent months battling accusations of antisemitism and fending off criticism from Democratic leaders, lost her runoff race to Bexar County Sheriff’s Office official Johnny Garcia, according to the Associated Press.
The defeat capped a stunning collapse for a candidate who had become one of the most controversial figures in Texas politics.
Her loss came in a newly drawn congressional district reshaped by Texas Republicans during redistricting. The seat is currently represented by Rep. Gregorio Casar, who is seeking election in a neighboring district being vacated by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, leaving the redrawn seat open and creating a competitive battle for both parties.
Galindo’s campaign became a lightning rod after she floated a proposal involving the imprisonment of “American Zionists” at an ICE detention center located in the district.
Galindo previously claimed in a social media post that she wanted to bring forth legislation to “turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.”
She pushed back against accusations that she was advocating an “internment camp,” but the controversy rapidly expanded beyond Texas and drew condemnation from prominent Democrats.
What made the backlash particularly damaging was where it came from. Criticism did not arrive from Republican opponents alone.
Members of the Democratic Party’s own leadership publicly denounced Galindo’s rhetoric, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico.
“This vile language by her is disqualifying and has no place in American politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party,” Jeffries and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a joint statement.
The statement warned, “To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic — and extremely dangerous — rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale.”
“This antisemitic rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Talarico commented in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We need leadership in both parties willing to stand up and call out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.”
The rebuke transformed what might have been a local congressional contest into a national story. By runoff day, Galindo had become a symbol of an internal Democratic fight that stretched well beyond the district she was trying to represent.
Her defeat was one of several major developments that reshaped the Texas political landscape Tuesday night, as runoff voters delivered victories, defeats and comebacks across both parties.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Ken Paxton scored perhaps the night’s biggest victory, defeating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a Senate runoff only a week after securing President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Paxton won by a commanding 25-point margin, taking 62.5% of the vote compared to Cornyn’s 37.5%, according to Associated Press results with 57% of ballots counted.
The result marked a dramatic reversal from the March primary, when Cornyn finished narrowly ahead of Paxton but failed to win the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Trump’s role loomed over the race. Before making his endorsement, both candidates sought the president’s support. Trump had suggested he would back one candidate and encourage the other to exit the race. Paxton publicly insisted he would remain in the contest regardless.
“Well, that’s bad for him to say,” Trump said. “That is bad for him. So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction.”
When Trump ultimately endorsed Paxton, he described the attorney general as a “true MAGA warrior” and criticized Cornyn for not supporting him “when times were tough.”
Hours before polls closed, Trump issued another appeal on Truth Social, writing, “Texas, Vote for Ken Paxton, our Country’s BEST Attorney General!”
Cornyn had warned that nominating Paxton could become a costly problem for Republicans. “I think I can be the most help to the president and his agenda in the last two years of his term of office, and all the downballot races,” Cornyn commented on “Fox & Friends.”
"Ken Paxton will be an albatross."
Senator @JohnCornyn sounds the alarm on a potential Ken Paxton nomination, warning a messy primary could puncture party prospects down ballot in the Lone Star State.
"If he is the nominee, it'll take hundreds of millions of dollars to try to… pic.twitter.com/IECrXvoMR2
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) May 26, 2026
“And Ken Paxton will be an albatross. He could well lose, but even if he doesn’t lose, he will win by such a razor-thin margin that it’s likely to have a negative drag on the downballot races in Texas — judges, local officials, House of Representatives, you name it.”
After winning, Paxton struck a notably different tone. “I want to thank John Cornyn for his service to this state. John has dedicated much of his life to serving Texans. He’s worked diligently for years to help Texas and for that spirit of service to the Lone Star State and our nation, I’m very grateful,” Paxton remarked.
Another longtime Democratic lawmaker also saw his political career dealt a major blow. Rep. Al Green, who had represented Texas’ Ninth Congressional District since 2005, lost to Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee after Republican-backed redistricting merged their districts. Menefee led decisively, winning 68.6% of the vote to Green’s 31.4% with 61% of ballots counted.
Former Rep. Colin Allred, meanwhile, moved a step closer to returning to Congress after defeating Rep. Julie Johnson in a Democratic runoff for a redrawn Dallas-area district. Republicans had altered the seat while pursuing a broader effort to flip as many as five House seats statewide.
Rep. Marc Veasey, who chose not to seek reelection, blasted those maps as “part of a long, ugly tradition of trying to keep Black and brown [Texans] from having a voice.”
Elsewhere, Trump-backed Republican Jon Bonck won a runoff in Texas’ 38th Congressional District, State Sen. Mayes Middleton defeated Rep. Chip Roy for the Republican attorney general nomination, and Republican strategist Tom Sell prevailed over Abraham Enriquez in another congressional runoff.
