Tony Schmoker
Tony Schmoker (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Texas. He declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.
Schmoker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Tony Schmoker served in the U.S. Army from 1988 to 2011. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland University College and a graduate degree from Cameron University. His career experience includes working as an education specialist.[1]
Schmoker has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- National Rifle Association
- Boy Scouts
- National Association of Realtors
2026 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Republican primary as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Incumbent John Cornyn (R), Wesley Hunt (R), Ken Paxton (R), and 10 other candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Texas on March 3, 2026. The filing deadline is December 8, 2025. As of November 2025, Cornyn, Hunt, and Paxton led in polling, fundraising, endorsements, and media attention.
The Texas Tribune's Gabby Birenbaum described the primary as "expensive and brutal. Cornyn, a 23-year veteran of the Senate, has been in hot water with the Republican base over his efforts to pass a bipartisan gun safety bill in 2022 and past comments casting doubt on Trump’s political durability."[2] Roll Call's Nathan L. Gonzales said the race is"an example of how data can be presented to paint whatever picture you want to see...Trump remains a wild card. His support is often the difference maker in Republican primaries, but he hasn’t made a decision in this race."[3]
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the primary vote, then the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on May 26, 2026. Writing after Hunt joined the race in October 2025, the Associated Press' Thomas Beaumont said that "Hunt’s entry into the race raises the potential of a runoff for the GOP nomination."[4]
Cornyn was first elected to the Senate in 2002. He earlier served as state attorney general and on the Texas Supreme Court. Cornyn said he had delivered for Texas while in office and was running for re-election "so President Trump and I can pick-up where we left off."[5] The Texas Tribune's Owen Dahlkamp described Cornyn's strategy as "going all in on emphasizing his support for Trump — something he has been previously wary to do — to court the MAGA base that will be key to winning."[6] Cornyn's campaign website says he has a "more than 99.2% voting record with President Trump — higher than Ted Cruz."[7] Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R) and the National Border Patrol Council endorsed Cornyn.
Hunt has represented the 38th Congressional District since 2022. He is an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a former loan officer. The Texas Tribune's Gabby Birenbaum described Hunt's strategy as "pressing the case that he would carry stronger appeal than Cornyn among the MAGA-dominated primary base, while bringing none of Paxton’s political baggage to the general election."[2] Hunt says he is running because "nothing is more worth fighting for than our great country and our Texas values."[8] U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R) endorsed Hunt.
Paxton has served as Texas Attorney General since 2015. He was also a member of the Texas House for ten years and of the Texas Senate for two. The Texas Tribune's Jasper Scherer described Paxton's run as "the latest flashpoint in a power struggle between the Texas GOP’s hardline, socially conservative wing — which views Paxton as a standard-bearer — and the Cornyn-aligned, business-minded Republican old guard."[9] Paxton's campaign website says that both "President Trump and Ken Paxton have been targeted in politically motivated witch hunts because there’s nothing that scares the establishment more than courageous conservatives who never back down from standing up for the American people."[10] U.S. Reps. Lance Gooden (R) and Troy Nehls (R) endorsed Paxton.
Also running in the primary are Andrew Alvarez (R), Virgil Bierschwale (R), Alexander Duncan (R), Ronald Evans (R), Matthew Elliot Kelley (R), Gulrez Khan (R), Rennie Mann (R), Tony Schmoker (R), Andrew Trakas (R), and Leo Wyatt (R).
As of November 2025, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated the general election Likely Republican. In the 2024 election, incumbent Ted Cruz (R) defeated Colin Allred (D) 53%–45%. In 2020, Cornyn defeated M.J. Hegar (D) 54%–44%.
Elections
2026
See also: United States Senate election in Texas, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. Senate Texas
Joshua Cain, Camencia Ford, Jade Simmons, and Hans Truelson are running in the general election for U.S. Senate Texas on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Joshua Cain (Independent) | ||
| Camencia Ford (Independent) | ||
 | Jade Simmons (Independent) | |
 | Hans Truelson (Independent) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas
Colin Allred, Emily Morgul, Michael Swanson, and James Talarico are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 3, 2026.
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Terry Virts (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas
The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | John Cornyn | |
 | Andrew Alvarez | |
 | Virgil Bierschwale | |
 | Alexander Duncan | |
 | Ronald Evans | |
 | Wesley Hunt | |
| Matthew Elliot Kelley | ||
 | Gulrez Khan | |
 | Rennie Mann | |
 | Ken Paxton | |
 | Tony Schmoker | |
 | Andrew Trakas | |
| Leo Wyatt | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Keith Allen (R)
- Barrett McNabb (R)
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[11] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[12] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval. Know of something we're missing? Click here to let us know.
| Poll | Dates | Cornyn | Hunt | Paxton | Other | Undecided | Sample size | Margin of error | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs/Texas Southern University (Hunt vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Hunt and Paxton. | – | -- | 35 | 50 | -- | 15 | 576 RV | ± 4.1% | N/A |
University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs/Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Hunt vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn, Hunt, and Paxton. | – | 33 | 22 | 34 | -- | 11 | 576 RV | ± 4.1% | N/A |
University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs/Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Hunt) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn and Hunt. | – | 50 | 34 | -- | -- | 16 | 576 RV | ± 4.1% | N/A |
University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs/Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Paxton) NoteTwo-way race between Cornyn and Paxton. | – | 44 | -- | 43 | -- | 13 | 576 RV | ± 4.1% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Hunt vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Hunt and Paxton. | – | -- | 36 | 43 | -- | 21 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Hunt) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn and Hunt. | – | 42 | 36 | -- | -- | -- | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Jackson vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Paxton and Ronny Jackson (R). "Other" indicates support for Jackson. | – | -- | -- | 44 | 33 | 23 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Paxton) NoteTwo-way race between Cornyn and Paxton. | – | 39 | -- | 44 | -- | 17 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Emerson College NoteTwo-way race between Cornyn and Paxton. | – | 30 | -- | 29 | 5 | 37 | 491 RV | ± 4.4% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Jackson vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn, Ronny Jackson (R), and Paxton. "Other" indicates support for Jackson. | – | 33 | -- | 38 | 15 | 14 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Hunt vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn, Hunt, and Paxton. | – | 30 | 22 | 35 | -- | 13 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Jackson) NoteHypothetical matchup between Cornyn and Ronny Jackson (R). "Other" indicates support for Jackson. | – | 43 | -- | -- | 35 | 22 | 1,500 LV | ± 2.5% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Hunt vs. Paxton) NoteHypothetical two-way race between Hunt and Paxton. | – | -- | 25 | 45 | -- | 30 | 510 LV | ± 4.3% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Hunt) NoteHypothetical two-way race between Cornyn and Hunt. | – | 39 | 31 | -- | -- | 30 | 510 LV | ± 4.3% | N/A |
Texas Southern University NoteHypothetical three-way race between Cornyn, Hunt, and Paxton. | – | 27 | 15 | 34 | -- | 24 | 510 LV | ± 4.3% | N/A |
Texas Southern University (Cornyn vs. Paxton) NoteTwo-way race between Cornyn and Paxton. | – | 34 | -- | 43 | -- | 23 | 510 LV | ± 4.3% | N/A |
Quantus Insights NoteTwo-way race between Cornyn and Paxton. | – | 39 | -- | 52 | -- | 9 | 600 RV | ± 4.4% | N/A |
| Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters. | |||||||||
Election campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Cornyn | Republican Party | $8,957,115 | $3,576,091 | $6,014,485 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Andrew Alvarez | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Virgil Bierschwale | Republican Party | $9,780 | $2,383 | $7,398 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Alexander Duncan | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Ronald Evans | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Wesley Hunt | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Matthew Elliot Kelley | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Gulrez Khan | Republican Party | $3,100 | $3,647 | $-547 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Rennie Mann | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Ken Paxton | Republican Party | $4,204,850 | $1,022,073 | $3,182,777 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Tony Schmoker | Republican Party | $2,500 | $3,107 | $-607 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Andrew Trakas | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Leo Wyatt | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[13][14]
If available, satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. FEC links include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports. OpenSecrets.org compiles data from those reports as well as 24- and 48-hour reports from the FEC.[15]
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. The amounts listed may not represent the total satellite spending in the election. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
| By candidate | By election |
|---|---|
As of October 20, 2025, Matthew Elliot Kelley (R) had not filed as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tony Schmoker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Schmoker's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am married to my wonderful wife, Julia, who is an active member of our community, serving as a precinct chair and school board trustee. Together, we are raising our talented son, Sawyer, who is involved in club soccer, the Boy Scouts, and the school band. I am a member of several organizations, including the National Rifle Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Association of Realtors, and the Boy Scouts, all reflecting my values and commitment to community service.
With over 23 years of experience as an Army veteran specializing in human resource management, I have developed expertise in the effective application of regulations and policies. I had the opportunity to travel globally, immersing myself in diverse cultures and broadening my perspective. Throughout my career, I have provided critical analysis and strategic advice to command-level leadership, influencing policies with far-reaching impacts. My recommendations consistently prioritize the human element, considering the ef- I am committed to a strong America First agenda. I dedicate myself to ensuring that every decision I make and every bill I support prioritizes American citizens. I will work tirelessly to strengthen our borders and eliminate the incentives for illegal immigration. It's essential to reform our tax and spending policies to root out corruption. Upholding our obligations to our veterans, who have sacrificed to protect our Constitution and way of life, is non-negotiable for me. Additionally, I believe we should establish term limits to curtail the power of career politicians who stagnate our government and prevent our country from evolving and flourishing. It is my mission to make America great again.
- I am committed to prioritizing the protection of our rights for the benefit of every citizen. I advocate for a government that maintains minimal intrusion in our daily lives, allowing individuals the freedom to thrive. It is essential that regulations are kept to a reasonable minimum to ensure health, safety, and fairness for all. Every American should have the ability to retain their earnings and genuinely own their property, I unconditionally support the Second Amendment, recognizing it as a fundamental right that underpins all others. Our government is founded on the consent of the people and operates under the guidance of the Constitution. I am committed to prioritizing the protection of our rights for the benefit of every citizen
- I firmly advocate for leadership through strength. For America to assert itself as a true leader in the world, we must operate from a position of strength. Achieving energy independence is not just important; it is imperative. We will not allow foreign actors to influence or control our infrastructure and food production. Safeguarding ownership in these critical areas is non-negotiable, and we must ensure that essential components are sourced exclusively from American companies to prevent any manipulation. A robust, well-trained, and well-equipped military is the ultimate determinant of our security. Furthermore, the strength of the family and the promotion of family values are essential for the success and prosperity of our nation.
- Social Security:** Social Security is unsustainable and needs to be replaced with individually owned accounts that will be protected from government misuse and provide greater benefits.
- Veterans Affairs:** We have an obligation to those who sacrifice for us. Reducing bureaucracy to access benefits and implementing more effective and efficient programs are essential.
- Social Security:** Social Security is unsustainable and needs to be replaced with individually owned accounts that will be protected from government misuse and provide greater benefits.
Second, we need to identify and remove individuals in the government who prioritize personal agendas over the common good. Establishing checks and balances is crucial to this effort.
Second, it’s important to consider their competency. Can they actually perform the job to which they are being appointed? Have they been successful in related roles in the past?
Third, we need to evaluate whether they align with the goals of the country. Are they working toward the common good, or are they trying to advance their own agenda?
Finance Committee: Specifically, the subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy. Social Security is an outdated system that resembles a government-run Ponzi scheme. It should be phased out and replaced with individual retirement accounts that grant property rights and offer greater flexibility in retirement planning.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 11, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Texas Tribune, "GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt announces run for U.S. Senate, joining Cornyn, Paxton in primary," October 6, 2025
- ↑ Roll Call, "Why Cornyn is still at risk of losing in Texas," October 20, 2025
- ↑ Associated Press, "Rep. Wesley Hunt is running for US Senate in Texas, defying GOP leaders to take on Cornyn and Paxton," October 6, 2025
- ↑ CBS News, "Senator Cornyn kicks off re-election campaign early as Ken Paxton weighs primary challenge," March 30, 2025
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Sen. John Cornyn looks to overcome Paxton primary challenge by embracing Trump," June 30, 2025
- ↑ John Cornyn campaign website, "The Trump-Cornyn Record," accessed October 22, 2025
- ↑ Wesley Hunt campaign website, "Meet Wesley Hunt," accessed October 22, 2025
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas AG Ken Paxton officially joins U.S. Senate race challenging John Cornyn," April 8, 2025
- ↑ Ken Paxton campaign website, "The Fight at Hand," accessed October 22, 2025
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Amee LaTour, Email correspondence with the Center for Responsive Politics, August 5, 2022
