Free Republic

The Dallas Morning News published a glowing opinion piece praising Texas Democrat gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. The author was billed as a “longtime Republican” and former staffer for Republican lawmakers. There was just one problem: the author was on Hinojosa’s payroll.

Whether Paxton wins the senate race or not, I'll be writing my current senator John Cornyn to express my disgust with his recent stances on the election, and his long-recognized treachery toward his Party. They say you should keep such letters polite and to a specific point. How firm should this rule be on an outgoing senator like Cornyn? My rage toward him is bottomless.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of six senators on Sunday called for President Donald Trump’s administration to “immediately reverse course” on a plan to purchase diesel from Russia as part of an effort to lower high fuel prices. Trump shocked lawmakers when he announced on social media Friday that he struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call. He said Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the American and global market, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” Russia will deliver an additional...

More Republicans are speaking out against President Donald Trump’s decision to let Vladimir Putin’s Russia temporarily export diesel fuel on the global market, expanding the bipartisan blowback over the deal. Six GOP senators joined six of their Democratic colleagues in a letter Tuesday urging Trump to cancel the arrangement allowing Russia to supply 4.8 million metric tons, or nearly 36 million barrels, of diesel through mid-April. “This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded,” the lawmakers wrote. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma’s Alan...

Outgoing Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said Thursday that he would not vote for Bo French for Texas railroad commissioner following the candidate's "racist comments," which have drawn intense pushback from lawmakers. "He's an embarrassment to the Republican Party, and he's going to drag the whole ticket down because of his racist comments," Cornyn told the Washington Examiner of French, who is running to be Texas' rail commissioner, a statewide position that regulates the state's oil and natural gas production. Cornyn said he was unsure whether he would vote for Democratic candidate Jon Rosenthal: "I may just leave it...

It’s moments like these when you really miss Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The memorial service for the late South Carolina Republican was held on Tuesday, and Mr. Graham’s ability to navigate the Senate, his skills in retail politics, and his experience made him invaluable, especially in his semi-ambassador role between the Senate GOP and the Trump White House. Much of Trump's legislative agenda is uncertain after his passing on July 11 at age 71 from an aortic dissection. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s full confirmation was one of the first issues at risk, and it has now become a reality....

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is threatening to block two of President Trump’s ambassador nominees if the administration does not present evidence of progress on releasing funds to the President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (PEPFAR), a government program which provides treatment for HIV and AIDS around the world. “The only way it seems like you can get the administration’s attention on some of these funding issues is by using the leverage to withhold votes on nominees,” Cornyn said in an interview with Semafor on Tuesday. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Cornyn sits, is scheduled to vote on the...

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is threatening to block two of President Trump’s ambassador nominees if the administration does not present evidence of progress on releasing funds to the President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (PEPFAR), a government program which provides treatment for HIV and AIDS around the world. “The only way it seems like you can get the administration’s attention on some of these funding issues is by using the leverage to withhold votes on nominees,” Cornyn said in an interview with Semafor on Tuesday. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Cornyn sits, is scheduled to vote on the...

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) received a harsh reception from an attendee at his town hall in Houston on Sunday. Video from the event, during which Talarico took questions for more than 90 minutes, captured by the Austin American-Statesman’s Faith Bugenhagen, shows a Black woman yelling, “So you stay here, you answer our questions or you suffer the consequences.” Other attendees clapped in support of the woman’s remarks, while one man said, “Say it with your chest.” When Talarico told the woman he appreciated her for traveling to attend the town hall, she replied, “I did it for my...

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who recently lost his state’s primary due in part to President Donald Trump, ripped the president’s obsession with the 2020 elections as Republicans face an uphill battle in the November midterms. Trump spent Thursday night’s primetime address railing against foreign and “deep state” interference in past U.S. elections and presenting declassified documents that he said proved his point. Critics have claimed that Trump is gearing up to interfere in the midterms and usher Republicans to victory. At the yearly Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Politico’s Jonathan Martin asked Cornyn, “Does that speech last night give you...

With Lindsey Graham's death, and John Cornyn's defeat, Mike Lee is second in seniority, next to 92 year old Chuck Grassley (elected in 1980). Grassley has been maintaining the old blue slip tradition, preventing the confirmation of US Attorneys that Democrats don't like. If Grassley dies, or chooses to be chair of another committee come January, Mike Lee will be chair (assuming the Republicans hold the Senate). Thom Tillis (who also blocked nominees) will also be gone, and Ken Paxton will likely be added. On the Democrat side, Dick Durbin is retiring (moving Whitehouse to ranking member) and Amy Klobuchar...

Randall’s supporters were animated by a mix of factors, including the perception that George was too friendly to establishment Republicans.Republican Party of Texas Vice Chair D’rinda Randall became the party’s new leader Friday after defeating her former running mate, incumbent Chair Abraham George, shaking up the top of the state’s majority party ahead of the fall midterm elections. Randall, who first became involved in GOP politics nearly two decades ago, campaigned on her accomplishments as the party’s second-in-command during the last two years, touting financial wins like the return of certain convention corporate sponsors and her support for grassroots...

Presler posted. “I was very gracious & asked him to pass the SAVE America Act.” Cornyn later reposted Presler’s post and responded with a single word: “Grifter.”

Paxton has trailed Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in fundraising, and some Republicans say the party will have to spend millions to win the Senate race.President Donald Trump may be celebrating that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won Tuesday’s Senate primary, but some Republicans now worry that they have a Texas-sized problem on their hands. Paxton, with Trump’s endorsement, handily defeated four-term Sen. John Cornyn in the runoff. Democrats largely viewed Paxton as the weaker candidate because of his many controversies. But his fundraising struggles are also raising alarm bells among Republicans. “Economically, it’s a disaster. Texas is extremely expensive,”...

CNN This Morning began its coverage today of Ken Paxton’s decisive victory over John Cornyn in the Texas Republican Senate primary runoff by airing Manu Raju's interviews on an Austin street with exactly two Texas Republicans who swore they won’t vote for Paxton. One even declared she will “absolutely” vote for Democrat James Talarico in November. This is what passes for journalism at CNN these days. Hand-picked, cherry-picked, man-on-the-street interviews that conveniently fit the narrative the liberal network wants to push: that Paxton’s win is somehow fracturing the GOP and handing the seat to Democrats. Could anything be less scientific...

Race called!

In one of his first rallies since winning President Donald Trump’s endorsement in his Senate race, Ken Paxton told the crowd he wanted to try something new. The Democratic nominee, James Talarico, Paxton said, would be the “most radical US senator from Texas, maybe in the whole country, ever, so I wanted to test a few nicknames tonight and see if you can help me.” The suggestions from the audience started flowing as Paxton passed the mic around. “Low-T Talarico.” “Tofu Talarico.” “Tala-freak-o.” “Soy boy!” a man yelled out unprompted. The food references came from an already burgeoning Republican talking...

Ken Paxton, the Trump-endorsed and MAGA-backed insurgent, ousted Senator John Cornyn in a runoff on Tuesday, becoming the second primary challenger to knock out an incumbent Republican senator in less than two weeks in a raw display of President Trump’s powerful hold on the party base. The contest was the most expensive primary in American history — and Mr. Paxton prevailed despite being outspent on advertising by pro-Cornyn forces by roughly $80 million. Now, Republicans are bracing for a potentially competitive general election in Texas, where Democrats have not won statewide in a generation. Democratic donors nationwide have swooned for...

50% in Paxton 62.5% Cornyn 37.5%

On Tuesday’s CNN This Morning, host Audie Cornish asked — seemingly out of nowhere — during the Group Chat on the Texas GOP Senate primary runoff: “Is John Cornyn a RINO?”Cornish did not mention or dispute Cornyn’s widely cited 99%+ voting alignment with President Trump on roll-call votes where Trump took a clear position. Republican strategist Brad Todd pushed back immediately, saying: “No. And if John Cornyn wins tonight, this Texas Senate race is functionally over. He will be the next US Senator from Texas if he wins tonight.” Get the rest of the story and view the video here.