Attorney General Ken Paxton emerged victorious over Sen. John Cornyn in the Senate GOP runoff held on Tuesday. This outcome strengthens the far right’s influence in Texas and may make the seat competitive in the November elections.
Paxton’s campaign received a significant boost from a last-minute endorsement by President Donald Trump in the final days before the vote. Defeating Cornyn, a prominent figure in Texas politics with four terms to his name, represents a significant victory for the MAGA movement.
However, establishment Republicans and key national donors have expressed concerns that a win for Paxton could lead to an expensive general election battle against Democratic contender James Talarico. Recent polls suggest Talarico holds a slight advantage over Paxton.
Paxton overcame his initial deficit from the March primary, where Cornyn had a narrow lead, by leveraging his strong grassroots support among MAGA voters—a base he has nurtured during his time in Texas politics.
Paxton also withstood a barrage of attack ads funded by Cornyn, which focused on Paxton’s history of personal and political controversies. Trump’s endorsement, coming just a week before the runoff, likely played a crucial role in securing Paxton’s win.
