Elections: What happens when a runoff election is called?

What is a runoff election and when would it be called?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several well-known politicians were sent packing Tuesday, after the Texas primaries.

The Republican race for attorney general is perhaps the best example of that happening, but a May runoff means it's not over yet.

Three candidates for the attorney general spot were already in statewide elected positions, as well as a congressman.

A Republican runoff could be stressful news for incumbent Ken Paxton.

Instead of spending many months focusing on a general election opponent, he'll have to take the time to keep campaigning against someone in his own party — with a felony indictment still hanging over his head and accusations of misusing his office to benefit a political donor.

Those issues would likely come up in a runoff.

If a runoff were to happen, that election would happen on May 24.

As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, a winner hasn't been called in the attorney general race.

In Texas, a runoff is between the top two finishers in a primary, if the primary winner doesn't get at least 50% of the vote.

In general elections in Texas, the candidate with the most votes wins, even without getting half the votes, like former Governor Rick Perry in 2006, who won the general with 39% of the total vote.

Runoffs can be exciting for challengers and sometimes scary for incumbents.

A fairly recent runoff you may remember paved the way for U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in his first election in 2012.

While it wasn't an incumbent he beat, he did win against a sitting lieutenant governor, David Dewhurst, who had already won four statewide elections, which hurt Dewhurst's political career.

Two years later, Dan Patrick, then a state senator, beat Dewhurst in his re-election bid in a runoff and became lieutenant governor.