Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, backed by President Donald Trump, won the Republican Senate primary defeating incumbent Senator John Cornyn and setting up a general election contest.
The outcome represents a significant intraparty rebuke of a longtime incumbent by a challenger aligned with the president’s political movement.
Trump’s endorsement proved decisive in a state where Republican primary voters increasingly reward candidates demonstrating loyalty to his agenda.
Paxton campaigned on conservative legal activism, border security, and alignment with administration priorities on immigration and federal power.
Cornyn, a three-term senator and former majority whip, had emphasized experience and deliverable results for Texas in Washington.
The primary attracted substantial fundraising and media attention as a barometer of Trump influence over the Republican establishment.
Democrats will field their own candidate in November, though Texas has not elected a Democratic senator in decades.
Paxton’s legal controversies, including impeachment acquittal in the state legislature, featured in attack advertisements during the campaign.
National Republican committees now pivot resources toward protecting the seat while assessing Paxton’s general election viability.
The victory adds another Trump-aligned figure to the Senate candidate roster shaping potential chamber control after midterms.
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Sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/5/27/headlines