Rep. Wesley Hunt is running for US Senate in Texas, defying GOP leaders to take on Cornyn and Paxton
Republican representative Wesley Hunt works for the US Senate in Texas, challenging the Senate GOP leadership, and adding a new element to a already controversial primary campaign.
The Congress of the two -term Houston region said that he was running because President Donald Trump showed a great relationship with the Republican Senator John Cornyn, despite his shading, he showed that he could defeat the Chief Public Prosecutor Ken Paxton. Legal and personal issues.
“What I’ve seen in the survey for the last few months, people want an alternative and I will give them to them, Hunt said Hunt.
Senate Republican Leaders worried The questions that revive Paxton, who entered the race in April, will cost millions of dollars to defend in a general election, although Texas is a republican lean.
Nevertheless, the Senate majority leader from South Dakota, John Thune, the Senate President of the National Republican Senate Committee, has blocked a senate campaign since April.
Hunt Tests Waters As Cornyn and Paxton as a potential third way for Texas Republicans A Contemporary War Words in the media. Advertising monitoring Service According to Adimpact, Hunt and supporting it since spring have spent $ 6.5 million for advertising in Texas.
Groups Supporting CornynHowever, according to STEPPACT, they spent more than $ 21 million on television ads this year and attacked Paxton to introduce the four -term senator.
In a September note, Thune and Scott said that Cornyn narrowed his gap with Paxton and that Hunt continued to stick to the false narrative he pushed as a reason for his own ambitions ”.
“There was never a rented way for Hunt, and it will never happen,” they said. “The time of the make -up project of the Republicans that can cost the control of the Senate and end our resources.”
Hunt argued that the Senate Republicans who had wasted Cornyn resources in other states.
Hun This is not a make -up project. This is about giving an alternative to the people of Texas, “Hunt said to Hunt AP. “Let’s stop the exercise in vain and get the right person for the job.”
Hunt, a graduate of an army and a US Military Academy, represents a suburban Houston region where he and his supporters defend both sides of the Republican division. In the north, while cities such as bingball are heavy Trump country, in the south, special communities such as River Oaks, once in the vein of neighboring George HW Bush, the older, traditionally monumental republicans are home to.
Although Paxton is a strong supporter of Trump, Hunt remained close to the orbit of the Republican president. After the former President’s announcement of the 2022 return campaign, he became the first Republican to approve it and Prime-Time Speaking On the opening night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He also campaign for Trump 17 times last year, more than other Republican deputies.
Paxton was overshadowed by problems, including state and federal corruption investigations. 2023 Fire Brigade Trial This revealed an out -of -marriage event. This year, a state fraud indictment and federal corruption investigation and the acquittal of the accusation, although Paxton’s wife Sen Angela Paxton announced in July. Divorce Application “On the grounds of the Bible.”
Paxton Aides said that the questions about him did not cost him politically.
Deputy Cornyn and Senate Republican Leadership, the advertising campaign reduces Paxton’s advantage.
It is unclear how the Hunt entrance will affect the efforts of Republicans in the next year’s midterm exams.
The democrats need to clarify the four chairs to win the Senate majority. Big names were hired in North Carolina and OhioThe place where Republicans defend the seats. Another, the democratic government Janet Mills, took steps towards running for the Republican seat of the state and is expected to announce its plans at the beginning of this month.
Even if these states fell on the path of the Democrats, the Texas was difficult for the party.
The Democrats became hopeful when Beto O’Rourke, the representative of Texas at that time in 2018, lost narrowly to Ted Cruz. In 2024, Cruz defeated rep. Colin Allred is a wider margin but less than 10 percent.
Allred announced in July He was running again. Texas province Representative James Talarico announced He was running last month.
Trump received 14 percent of Texas in 2024. Trump remained neutral in the primitive of the Texas Senate.
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Beaumont reported from DES MOİNES.
