EXCLUSIVE: Cornyn Goes Full Attack Mode Against Paxton After Primary Poll Scare

Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s reelection campaign is rolling out its first negative ad of the bruising primary contest Wednesday, accusing his challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, of repeatedly funding far-left activist groups while serving as the state’s top prosecutor.

The release of the video Tuesday, titled “Crooked Ken: Funding the Left” comes two days after a poll commissioned by a Cornyn-aligned super PAC showed Paxton up by double digits over the incumbent, but also trailing former Democratic Texas Rep. Colin Allred in a hypothetical general election matchup. The Cornyn campaign is launching an initial five-figure ad buy to boost the 45-second video torching Paxton’s record as attorney general, which will be aired on social media platforms.

“Ken Paxton says he’s fighting the left,” the video’s narrator says. “But behind closed doors he’s cutting them checks.”

The Cornyn campaign alleges that Paxton doled out millions to liberal activist organizations through the Texas office of attorney general (OAG), including to immigration advocacy groups and entities that espouse left-wing gender ideology since assuming the top prosecutor role in 2015.

“The Office of the Attorney General under Ken Paxton has given over $7 million in grants to 13 organizations that provide legal aid to illegal immigrants, promote DEI and ESG values and provide ‘gender affirming’ resources to children as young as seven,” Cornyn campaign senior advisor Matt Mackowiak told the DCNF. “These left wing groups do not represent our conservative Texas values. Ken Paxton needs to explain how this happened on his watch. Taxpayers should be irate.”

Paxton called the attack “a new low” in a statement to the DCNF.