Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday on Fox News that he will challenge Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn for his seat in Washington, D.C.
In March, Paxton, in an interview with Punchbowl News, hinted at entering the race. He told the outlet he would need roughly $20 million to make the race competitive. On “The Ingraham Angle,” Paxton officially announced his campaign, saying it’s “time for a change” in his state.
“I’m announcing that I’m running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn, who apparently is running again for his fifth term, which we put in there three decades. It’s definitely time for a change in Texas,” Paxton said.
“We have another great U.S. Senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way,” Paxton added.
The primary race between the two Republican leaders could become one of the most expensive primaries of the 2026 cycle, with Cornyn facing a potentially tough race as he seeks to secure his fifth term next year.
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Host Laura Ingraham played a video of Cornyn addressing “rumors” that Paxton was running, where he was heard saying “A little competition is OK.”
“Look, he said 24 years of this, which I think is plenty given his lack of production. It’s hard to think of the things that he’s done good for Texas or for the country,” Paxton said.
“I can certainly point to many things like his gun restrictions, his lack of wanting to fund a border wall and disagreeing with President Trump on that and even opposing President Trump’s election in 2016 and the most recent election,” Paxton said. “So there’s certainly many things to focus on that he has not done. I think it’s time that somebody held him accountable for that.”
In a statement released to Punchbowl News reporter Max Cohen, a spokesperson for Cornyn’s campaign called the attorney general “a fraud,” claiming Paxton “uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family.”
“He talks tough on crime and then lets crooked progressive Lina Hidalgo off the hook,” Cornyn’s spokesperson wrote. “He says his impeachment trial was a sham, but he didn’t contest the fact in legal filings, which will cost the state millions. He says he’s anti-woke, but he funnels millions of taxpayer dollars to lawyers who celebrate DEI.”
“This will be a spirited campaign, and we assure Texans they will have a real choice when this race is over,” the spokesperson added.
Affiliated polling from the Texas Politics Project showed in March that Paxton held a 37% approval rating with all voters and 62% approval among GOP-identifying voters. Cornyn, however, held 49% among GOP-identifying voters and 30% overall, according to the data.
National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Tim Scott endorsed Cornyn in a Wednesday statement. “John Cornyn is a leader who delivers on President Trump’s agenda and for the people of Texas in the U.S. Senate,” Scott wrote. “He’s a proven fighter, man of faith, and essential part of the Republican Senate Majority.”
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/Fox News/”The Ingraham Angle”)
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with the NRSC’s endorsement of Cornyn.
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