Projection: US Sen. John Cornyn wins reelection in Texas

HOUSTON – Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has won reelection in Texas, according to a projection by NBC News.

The Senate race in Texas has a former candidate for the U.S. House vying for a seat that has been held by the incumbent for 18 years.

Cornyn won his seat in 2002 and is facing military veteran MJ Hegar as his Democratic challenger. Hegar has previously run for the U.S. House.

The race has been competitive. A poll by Quinnipiac University released in October showed Cornyn with a five-point lead over Hegar.

Kerry Douglas McKennon is running as a Libertarian in the race.

David B. Collins is the Green Party candidate.

Hegar issued the following statement after her defeat:

“I’m not a career politician, running for U.S. Senate was never my plan. I’m just one of the millions of Texans who saw the world we’re giving our children and thought ‘hell no.’ Together, we stood up and got to work, building a powerful grassroots campaign from the ground up, shattering voter turnout records, and most importantly sending a message to a previously safe Senator that he answers to us. I am confident that the work we did will move our state forward for years to come.”

You can follow live results for this race below.

You can get more election results here.