Paxton Defeats Cornyn in Texas Senate GOP Primary Runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday. Paxton received a late endorsement from President Trump one week before the vote. Cornyn had led after the initial March primary but failed to secure a majority, forcing the runoff.

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Leader John Thune said on Wednesday that the party must now support Paxton to keep the seat Republican. Thune told radio host Hugh Hewitt that Cornyn had been a strong partner but that voters had spoken. Thune added that he and NRSC Chairman Sen. Tim Scott had spoken with Paxton and that the party would pivot to the general election.

Talarico thanked Cornyn for his service and said Cornyn supporters have a place in the Democratic campaign. A Democrat has not won a Texas U.S. Senate race since 1988.

Paxton was first elected attorney general in 2014.

He was indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015 and later entered a pretrial diversion agreement in 2024. He was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 and acquitted by the state Senate. Cornyn had served in Senate GOP leadership and received support from several Republican senators before the runoff.

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