Posted on 02/02/2025 9:52:59 PM PST by RandFan
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is weighing a primary challenge to Sen. John Cornyn (R) in what could be the next high-profile proxy battle between the two competing wings of the state’s GOP.
Paxton told Fox News in an interview on Monday that he is considering a bid for Cornyn’s Senate seat in 2026 as he speaks with various groups in Texas, saying a decision is likely in the “next couple of months.” If Paxton runs, the primary would likely be one of the most expensive in the country and the toughest election in both men’s careers.
It would also further illustrate the ongoing rift within the Texas Republican Party as the establishment wing and hard-liners fight for control.
“The right wing is ascendant,” said Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser, who ran Cornyn’s 2014 campaign. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they have more members in the [state] Legislature than the other wing of the party, but it means that the zeitgeist is very, very conservative and obviously very pro-Trump.”
Paxton’s statement is no surprise to those in Texas politics, as he has been rumored as a possible Senate candidate for months, if not years
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Ken Paxton has a lot of support here and in Texas to do this. The Hill reckons it will be the most expensive and bitter campaign in the U.S.
The stakes are that high and I think Ken has a great shot.
Go for it, Ken!
Aw man..... I was so hoping he’d clean out the riff-raff before moving on to bigger and better things.
He can’t do everything. From what I understand he has able deputies anyway.
Paxton is one of the few who can pull this off and challenge (RETIRE) that RINO.
I think Ken can make a good case from the article they mention Cornyn’s support for gun control and sending money to Ukraine
It’s going to be wild.
If yes, Cornyn will win easily.
Why do you say that? Texas isn’t purple or blue yet
Because if TX has open primaries, enough Dems will choose a Republican primary ballot and vote for Cornyn for Paxton to lose.
Why TF dots Texas have open primaries?
Open primaries allow RINOs to win, so Democrats push for them in Red states.
Just having Ken running means that Cornyn will have to keep LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER when deciding to again try to take on Trump. A good move, regardless of what Ken ultimately decides.
It would be great if circumstances would morph Austin more toward the red side. Not sure what that would be, though.
“Why TF dots Texas have open primaries?”
19 or 20 states have open primaries. It’s nice if your goal is to manipulate / cheat. Seems that should be ended.
It will be a blockbuster contest. Hopeful Freepers and conservative grassroots will chip-in for Ken. He’ll need it
This has been talked about for a long time. Everybody thinks Paxton will do it. I honestly don’t think the race will be very close. Cornyn is deeply unpopular in Texas in complete contrast to Paxton who is very popular.
I hope he does. I am tired of writing in Willie Nelson and having the tabulator choke on my ballot.
**Just having Ken running means that Cornyn will have to keep LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER when deciding to again try to take on Trump. A good move, regardless of what Ken ultimately decides.**
It’s timing. Cornyn has some Cabinet appointees to approve so lighting a fire under his ass is important. It’s also a possibility the pressure is designed to force Cornyn to quit thereby allowing Paxton to walk into the senate.
Yes, a TX Democrat can vote in the TX Republican primary but not in both party primaries.
Texas is an open primary state. That means the Ds can mount a massive effort to get D voters to vote for Cornyn during the primary. Then those Ds vote D in the general election.
It wasn’t always that way. Some time way back when you voted in a primary, your voter registration card was stamped with the party that you were voting for. Then you could not vote again for the other party in their primary.
Abbot also recently eliminated straight ticket voting citing that good people down ticket were not getting the votes that they should. Of course that simply make the wait times in the lines at the polls much longer as those who wanted to vote straight ticket now have to mark dozens and dozens of races for the candidate of their choice. It has also led to big differences in the vote tallies as the top of the ticket now receives for more votes than the down ticket races. Many folks just vote the few races that they know about and skip the rest.
I’ve known Cornyn since 1998 or so. He calls me periodically and shakes me down, er, asks me for campaign money.
He’s rotten to the core.
Please get rid of this snake.
Ken would be a huge upgrade as a senator
I’m just an outsider but on here I get good “vibes” about this
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