AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and tea-party backed former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz are heading to arunoff in the state's Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

The race had been fierce, with brutal attacks from all sides.

Candidates competed to see who could claim to be the true conservative.

Dewhurst was short of the majority needed to earn the nomination outright.

The two men will now face a runoff election on July 31 to advance to the November general election in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The other top GOP candidates included former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and former ESPN football analyst Craig James.
    
A runoff also will decide the Democratic primary.

    
     (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)