Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Trails in Fundraising for Senate Runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running against Sen. U.S. Senate seat from Texas. Paxton enters the contest with a fundraising gap that his allies attribute to the absence of support from Leonard Leo.

A review of Paxton’s Q1 2026 FEC filings found no contributions from Leo, the Concord Fund, or any Leo-affiliated names, employers, or vendors. 3 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association between 2014 and 2024. Leo dissolved the Concord Fund in January 2026.

Successor organizations have directed funds to other candidates, including $1 million to a super PAC supporting Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and $500,000 to the Sentinel Action Fund.

Leo’s network previously provided legal counsel and judicial appointments that shaped Paxton’s office. In 2021, Paxton joined a False Claims Act lawsuit against Planned Parenthood filed before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Paxton also led a multistate challenge to an OSHA COVID-19 vaccine mandate that reached the Supreme Court.

In November 2024, Paxton led a coalition of 11 states suing BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street over alleged antitrust violations in the coal market. The outside counsel was Cooper & Kirk, a firm with documented ties to Leo’s network.

The RealClearPolitics average shows Paxton leading the runoff.

Nearly a quarter of Cornyn’s primary voters say they would support Democrat James Talarico in November if Paxton wins the nomination. Paxton allies speaking on background said they do not expect the Sentinel Action Fund to intervene in the Texas race.