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TEXAS: Why the GOP is nervous about Ken Paxton's Senate run
The Week ^ | Aoril 17 | By Joel Mathis

Posted on 04/19/2025 12:56:12 PM PDT by RandFan

Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress. But that may not be enough to get the Texas Republican reelected...

The Cornyn-Paxton primary fight is a "proxy war" in the GOP, said Axios. "Top MAGA luminaries" are skeptical of Cornyn because of his pro-Ukraine stance and work on a bipartisan gun bill after the 2022 Uvalde school massacre. The senator is the "epitome of the establishment," said Steve Bannon, an ally of President Donald Trump, to Axios. Paxton, meanwhile, carries a reputation as a "pro-Donald Trump knife fighter," said Axios. His candidacy is a "warning shot," said MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk on his eponymous radio show.

This makes Trump's approval critical in the race, said The Hill. The president said Thursday he will make an endorsement "at the right time." Cornyn has already been endorsed by Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.D.) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott (S.C.). But the president's nod will make the biggest splash. Trump is not tipping his hand. "They're both friends of mine," he said Saturday.

Paxton's new campaign is "becoming a major headache for Republicans," said Politico. They're worried that Trump "could elevate more MAGA-aligned challengers" to sitting GOP senators, "forcing a round of bitterly contested primaries." Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are seen as vulnerable to challenge from the right. That could "complicate" the Republican Party's efforts to retain control of the Senate in 2026, even though the map is "heavily tilted" in their favor. The challenge: GOP leaders "need Trump but also know they can't control him."

Another "overriding fear" is that a bitter Texas primary will be expensive, said CNN. The campaign could cost the party more than $100 million, "siphoning money from other critical battlegrounds."

(Excerpt) Read more at theweek.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Conspiracy
KEYWORDS: aoril; concerntroll; concerntrolling; cornyn; fakenews; joelmathis; paxton; texas; thehill; theshill
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To: Carl Vehse

Yes it’s flattery from the writer. Cornyn will get plenty of that from the media and all the endorsements but we know the people want Ken


21 posted on 04/19/2025 1:12:44 PM PDT by RandFan
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine

“Who will replace Paxton?”

Tony Buzbee


22 posted on 04/19/2025 1:24:27 PM PDT by Fai Mao ( All Democrats are pedophiles )
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To: Dilbert San Diego
The first sentence says Cornyn has been a reliable conservative? I don’t know his entire record, but the impression I get from Free Republic, is that he is a RINO type, and his being RINO is what caused Paxton to challenge him in the primary.

Cornyn is an establishment RINO inside the beltway Senator. He votes mostly conservative but often not. The legislation he votes for is so he can win the next election not based on his principals. I do not know what his true principals are? My vote goes to Paxton.

23 posted on 04/19/2025 1:25:46 PM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist ,MAGA)
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To: RandFan

He’s dead, Jim.


24 posted on 04/19/2025 1:30:36 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

“Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress.”

Exactly right. When an article starts off with an outright lie, it does not deserve further reading.


25 posted on 04/19/2025 1:32:47 PM PDT by falcon99 ( )
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To: RandFan

“Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress.”

I quit reading right there.


26 posted on 04/19/2025 1:40:55 PM PDT by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
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To: RandFan

John Cornyn Is not a conservative.
He only pretends to be conservative when he is up for re-election.
Time to send Paxton to the Senate.


27 posted on 04/19/2025 1:45:30 PM PDT by tennmountainman ( (“Less propaganda would be appreciated.” JimRobr 12-2-2023 DITTO)
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To: RandFan

The problem is not the challengers, it’s the current office holders. Cornyn and his ilk should just exit stage left with all the filthy lucre they’ve accumulated while in office and let the new breed have a chance to start rebuilding this nation.


28 posted on 04/19/2025 1:57:27 PM PDT by Rlsau1
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To: RandFan

Coding was a law school classmate of my father. He used to be a reliable conservative but has certainly gone beltway/uniparty. I’ll be voting Paxton.


29 posted on 04/19/2025 2:02:06 PM PDT by jagusafr ( )
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To: RandFan
Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress

right there I stopped reading.

30 posted on 04/19/2025 2:04:51 PM PDT by drypowder
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine

**Who will replace Paxton?**

Easy. George P.

Murkowski won her battle with establishment help. Texas is different.


31 posted on 04/19/2025 2:06:57 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: RandFan

What nonsense.

regardless of which one of these men win the primary there is no chance at all a Dem will wind up winning the general election.

If this was a close or purple state, yes a bitter primary fight could wind up handing the general to a Democrat.

However that is not likely to happen in Texas..

Combined with try fact that of the 7 toss up states only 2 are currently republican, the idea this race could cause the GOP to lose their senate majority is beyond idiotic.

Even if the Dems could pull off a sweep of the toss ups which is highly, highly unlikely. They would only gain 2 seats. To take control Dems would need to take 4, so even if this nonsensical argument that a primary fight would cost the GOP a senate seat in TX, GOP would still have control of the Senate.

Fearmongering by the establishment


32 posted on 04/19/2025 2:09:58 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: Antoninus

Amen to this reply.


33 posted on 04/19/2025 2:11:15 PM PDT by matthew fuller (PDJT/DOGE You must get rid of ALL Labor Unions in the government.)
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To: RandFan

Donate.


34 posted on 04/19/2025 2:22:07 PM PDT by Vision (“Our Democracy” means "Our Slush Fund." The Left is hate.)
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To: RandFan

We don’t want wall hangers anymore.
Throw cornyn out on his butt


35 posted on 04/19/2025 2:32:56 PM PDT by joe fonebone (And the people said NO!! The end.)
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine
Who will replace Paxton?

Maybe Gohmert is still interested in the job???

36 posted on 04/19/2025 2:33:38 PM PDT by rhinohunter (I don’t know if God is a Republican, but I am metaphysically certain that satan is a democrat)
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To: RandFan
Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are seen as vulnerable to challenge from the right. That could "complicate" the Republican Party's efforts to retain control of the Senate in 2026, even though the map is "heavily tilted" in their favor.

What are these failures doing with their current Senate majority? Where is legislation and funding for a permanent border wall? Where is legislation ending nation-wide injunctions by federal judges? A majority of Republicans like John Cornyn and John Thune is worthless.

I'll donate every penny I can spare to Paxton, and he's got my vote as a Texas voter.
37 posted on 04/19/2025 2:34:20 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: RandFan

The same people that voted for Ted Cruz in 2024 will vote for Paxton. Cruz won that election by 9%. Oddly Beta Orouke (fake Mexican real Pendejo) come withing 2-1/2% of defeating Cruz 6 years earlier. Beto is trans cultural and grew up in EL-Paso, speaks perfect Spanish and married into wealth and is white. He was a good candidate but thankfully lost. As mentioned Cruz won his next election by 9%.

Paxton will win the primary and the election easily and oddly because of the legal Hispanic vote. The areas of Texas most effected by the democrat inspired invasion by illegal aliens is the areas of high Hispanic population. They are pissed off and voting conservative republican.


38 posted on 04/19/2025 2:42:31 PM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist ,MAGA)
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To: RandFan

I stopped reading here:

“Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress. But that may not be enough to get the Texas Republican reelected.”


39 posted on 04/19/2025 2:42:46 PM PDT by Ge0ffrey
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To: RandFan
Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha 😂 Stop!

40 posted on 04/19/2025 2:44:57 PM PDT by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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