SouthernWorldwide.com – In a significant victory for the MAGA movement, Ken Paxton, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, has defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a contentious Texas Republican primary runoff.
The race, which has been ongoing for over a year, culminated in a bitter contest that has been labeled the most expensive Senate primary in history.
Paxton, who received a crucial endorsement from Trump just a week prior to the runoff, secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. This win positions him against Democratic candidate James Talarico in the general election.
The outcome of this race could play a pivotal role in determining whether Republicans maintain their narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate.
James Talarico, a rising figure in the Democratic Party, emerged victorious in his March primary against progressive star Representative Jasmine Crockett. Talarico is now aiming to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in Texas.
Senator John Cornyn, addressing reporters after the race was called, affirmed his commitment to supporting the Republican ticket in the upcoming general election.
In his victory speech, Paxton extended an olive branch to Cornyn and his supporters, acknowledging Cornyn’s years of service to Texas.
Paxton stated, “I want to thank John Cornyn for his service to this state. John has dedicated much of his life to serving Texans. He’s worked diligently for years to help Texas and for that spirit of service to the Lone Star State and our nation, I’m very grateful.”
Trump had actively campaigned against Cornyn, labeling him “VERY disloyal,” as he championed Paxton, a prominent Trump ally and MAGA advocate, in the final stages of the runoff.
This electoral showdown in the Republican stronghold of Texas served as a fresh demonstration of Trump’s substantial influence within the Republican Party and the potency of his endorsements in primary contests.
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The runoff election occurred shortly after Trump’s successful efforts to unseat five state senators in Indiana who had opposed his redistricting initiatives. This followed his role in defeating Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who had voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Just a week prior, Trump was instrumental in the defeat of Representative Tom Massie of Kentucky, a vocal critic of Trump, in his re-election bid.
After remaining on the sidelines for an extended period, Trump officially backed Paxton the previous Tuesday.
In a social media post, Trump declared, “Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.”
Paxton, referencing Trump’s support, told his supporters that Trump “didn’t listen” when advisors suggested he abandon Paxton. Instead, Trump provided him with his “complete and total endorsement.”
The two rivals had initially topped a crowded field in the early March primary, with Cornyn narrowly leading Paxton. However, as neither candidate secured over 50% of the vote, the nomination race proceeded to a runoff.
Trump, in his endorsement of Paxton, noted that while “John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough.”
Trump further elaborated on Cornyn’s perceived lack of loyalty, stating, “John was very late in backing me in what turned out to be a Historic Run for the Republican Nomination, and then, the Presidency.”
Cornyn responded by saying, “President Trump has called me a friend and a good man, and we’ve worked with him closely for both terms of office.”
Paxton, who gained national prominence over the last decade for filing numerous lawsuits against the Obama and Biden administrations, disagreed with Cornyn’s assessment.
Paxton asserted that Cornyn “fought the president’s re-election. He fought him in 2024, said his time had passed, and he fought him in 2016. So this is not a pro-Trump guy. I don’t know if we could be more different on the Republican issues than John Cornyn and me. So there is a vast difference between the two of us.”
Cornyn pushed back against these claims.
“I want him to be successful. I want America to be successful, and I want Republicans to be successful. But you know, in the end, as I said, Texans are the only ones going to be able to make a choice, and I think Texans can be pretty independent,” Cornyn remarked.
Paxton has faced numerous scandals and legal challenges throughout the past decade. In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach him, but he was subsequently acquitted by the state Senate.
Additionally, Paxton is currently involved in a contentious divorce proceeding, with his wife citing “biblical grounds” based on “recent discoveries” when filing for divorce last year.
Cornyn, who had the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, consistently argued that if Paxton became the nominee, the party would be compelled to expend millions of dollars to retain the seat and that down-ballot Republican candidates would suffer.
The senator predicted, “He’s gotten more and more emboldened as he’s gotten away with all the scandal and mischief that now is very well known, but were he to be the nominee and be exposed to general election voters, especially independents, I think it’s going to be a very rocky time.”
Pointing to Talarico, who reportedly raised an impressive $27 million in the first three months of the year, Cornyn stated, “There will be an incredible tsunami of Democratic funds coming in against Paxton, were he the nominee. Conversely… if I am the nominee… we’ll be able to shoulder the burden pretty much on our own. I won my last general election by 10 points. I think I can do similarly against somebody who’s as far left and radical as James Talarico.”
While Paxton began shifting his campaign focus to Talarico after securing Trump’s endorsement, Cornyn and allied groups continued their efforts to criticize Paxton.
Cornyn commented on his campaign’s efforts, stating, “I don’t think anybody could honestly argue that we haven’t fought hard to make the case here.”
He emphatically added that he had “worked too long and too hard to help build the Republican Party in Texas, and in the United States Senate, and to keep Texas the envy of the nation when it comes to opportunities and pursuing the American dream, to let that go, to squander it, and let it go without a fight.”
