Paxton Defeats Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate Runoff
5 verified8 unconfirmed
Ken Paxton defeated longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Republican primary runoff, earning the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate. The victory came after President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton in the final days of the race, a move that helped solidify the attorney general’s lead among the party’s base. Paxton will now face Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico in the November general election, a contest that both parties view as potentially competitive. The outcome leaves Texas in play for Democrats largely due to President Trump’s weak approval ratings nationwide, according to analysts. Cornyn’s loss also frees him from the pressures of reelection, giving him and other retiring or defeated GOP senators more independence on committee votes. The race has drawn national attention, with Republicans preparing a heavy advertising campaign against Talarico and Democrats seeking to tie Paxton to a series of legal and ethical scandals. Both sides anticipate an expensive and negative campaign over the next five months.
What’s verified
Ken Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
Donald Trump endorsed Paxton in the final days of the primary, a move that sources say helped secure the victory.
Paxton’s general-election opponent is Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old state lawmaker.
The race is considered more competitive than usual for Texas because of President Trump’s weak national polling numbers.
Cornyn’s loss means he will not be on the ballot in November, making him a lame-duck senator for the remainder of his term.
Not yet confirmed
One source reports that Paxton’s wife, Angela Paxton, is divorcing him on “biblical grounds.”
One source reports that Talarico has made statements such as “God is nonbinary,” that there are six biological sexes, and that he once pledged to run a “non-meat campaign.”
One source reports that Talarico has since backtracked, saying “I know there are two sexes, men and women” and that he regrets some past statements.
One source reports the exact vote margin as 64 percent to 36 percent; another source reports a “nearly 28-point margin.”
One source reports that only 778,139 voters participated in the GOP runoff, a 36 percent drop from the March primary, and that this decline “mirrors a lack of Republican enthusiasm.”
One source reports that Paxton has secured backing from the National Republican Senatorial Committee after it initially endorsed Cornyn.
One source reports that Cornyn sits on the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees and that his lame-duck status, along with retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, could create “a wild card situation” on the Judiciary Committee.
One source reports that Cornyn questioned the qualifications of Trump’s acting director of national intelligence nominee Bill Pulte, saying “I see no evidence of any qualifications for that job.”
Misconceptions
One source addresses the false claim that Talarico is transgender, noting that some on the right have labeled him as such, but he is not.
One source notes that the candidate with the most money does not always win, as Cornyn’s heavy spending advantage did not overcome his disadvantage with primary voters.
Key figures
Ken Paxton: Texas attorney general, Republican Senate nominee
John Cornyn: Incumbent U.S. senator from Texas, defeated in primary runoff
James Talarico: Democratic state lawmaker, Paxton’s general-election opponent
Donald Trump: President of the United States, endorsed Paxton
Thom Tillis: U.S. senator from North Carolina, retiring, member of Judiciary Committee
Bill Pulte: Trump’s nominee for acting director of national intelligence
Sources: theatlantic.com, rollcall.com
