Texas Senate Runoff Pits Ken Paxton Against John Cornyn as Democrats See Opening
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republicans will choose Tuesday between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton in a U.S. Senate runoff that could shape both the GOP’s future in the state and Democrats’ best statewide opening in decades.
The official runoff ballot lists Cornyn and Paxton for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination. The winner will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in November.
President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton last week, giving the attorney general a major late boost against Cornyn. The runoff followed a March primary in which Cornyn finished first with 42% to Paxton’s 40.5%, while U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt took 13.5%, preventing any candidate from winning outright.
The race now centers on electability. Cornyn and his allies argue he is the safer Republican nominee in a state the GOP has carried statewide for three decades. Paxton and his supporters argue he is better aligned with Trump and the party’s MAGA base.
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Polling shows why Republicans are watching closely. A University of Houston survey found Paxton leading Cornyn 48% to 45% among likely runoff voters, within the margin of error. The same poll found Republican voters split evenly over which candidate would be stronger against Talarico.
Democrats see an opening because Talarico has polled competitively against both Republicans. Al Jazeera reported that some hypothetical matchups show him tied with, within the margin of error of, or leading Paxton and Cornyn.
The national consequence is money and Senate control. Republican leaders have warned that a Paxton nomination could force the party to spend heavily defending Texas instead of focusing on other battlegrounds.
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