In a significant Republican primary upset, Steve Toth defeated four-term incumbent Dan Crenshaw in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District, ending the career of one of the GOP’s more recognizable figures. Toth built his campaign around a strong MAGA-aligned message, portraying Crenshaw as out of step with grassroots conservatives.
Despite outraising Toth, Crenshaw faced mounting criticism from the party’s right flank, particularly over his dismissal of 2020 election fraud claims and perceived lack of alignment with Donald Trump, who did not endorse him. Toth, meanwhile, secured backing from prominent conservatives including Ted Cruz.
Following the loss, Crenshaw blamed misinformation and “clickbait” for shaping voter perceptions. With the district strongly favoring Republicans, Toth is now the clear favorite in the general election, and his victory is seen as a sign of the GOP’s continued shift toward more populist, hardline conservatism.
