Texas Republican Senate primary pits Paxton against Cornyn

Polls are open in the Republican Senate runoff in Texas as incumbent Sen. John Cornyn tries to fend off a primary challenge from State Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has the backing of President Donald Trump.

The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico in November’s general election. The race is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country at a time when the GOP is fighting to maintain control of the Senate and Democrats are pushing to win a long-sought Senate seat in Texas.

Cornyn narrowly edged Paxton in the March primary but failed to garner enough votes to avoid a runoff.

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton last week sent shockwaves through the Republican-controlled Senate, which has poured significant resources into Cornyn’s reelection bid. Cornyn has also taken comprehensive steps to repair his relationship with Trump, which has been tense for years.

The Republican primary in Texas has been among the most complex elections of the 2026 campaign cycle. Cornyn’s campaign has criticized Paxton, a close Trump ally, for a series of ethical and legal scandals that have plagued him and his office during his tenure as the Lone Star State’s top law enforcement official.

Paxton was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives, acquitted by the Senate, and charged with securities fraud. that recently divorced his wife Based on what he describes as “biblical justifications.”

Paxton’s campaign, meanwhile, has long sought to portray Cornyn as a figure of Washington’s establishment.

Cornyn is a four-term incumbent with a significant reputation in the Senate. He was the Senate Republican Whip, no. 2nd place in the upper chamber between 2013-2019. He lost his bid to lead Republicans in the Senate in 2024 to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, but remains popular among his colleagues. Senate Republicans believe Cornyn will be a tougher and less expensive opponent to Talarico in the general election.

Paxton is the likely favorite to come out on top in the primary after Trump’s endorsement. A. Quantus Insights Paxton leads Cornyn by 9.3 percentage points heading into Election Day, according to the poll released Monday.

Trump has made it a priority in his second term to defeat his political foes in the GOP. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., failed to advance to a runoff in Louisiana in early May after endorsing Trump’s opponent in the primary. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky), whom Trump frequently blocked in his second term, fell into the primary against Trump-supported opponent Ed Gallrein.

Endorsing Paxton Real SocialTrump said Cornyn was “a good man and I worked well with him, but he didn’t support me in my tough times.”

“Ken Paxton has been through many events, in many cases unfairly, but he is a Warrior and knows how to WIN,” the President said. “Our Country Needs Warriors and Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness.”