Ken Paxton has defeated John Cornyn in the Republican primary for the Texas Senate seat, handing President Donald Trump another major victory in his campaign to remove Republicans seen as disloyal to his political movement.
Paxton secured the GOP nomination after Trump backed him shortly before the runoff election, giving the Texas attorney general momentum against Cornyn, who has represented Texas in the Senate since 2003.
The victory means Paxton will now face James Talarico, the Democratic candidate, in a general election that could become one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Speaking after his win, Paxton praised Trump for standing by him despite pressure from Republican figures in Washington.
“When everyone in Washington told him to abandon me and abandon people in Texas, he didn’t. Instead, he gave his complete and total endorsement. President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics,” Paxton said.
He added, “Tonight, we just sent a Texas-sized message to Washington,” while declaring that “change won.”
The result is the latest example of Trump’s growing influence within the Republican Party, as he continues backing challengers against GOP figures who have criticised or opposed him in the past.
Cornyn and several Republican allies had reportedly urged Trump to support the incumbent senator instead, arguing that Paxton’s legal controversies could weaken the party in the general election.
Paxton was impeached by the Republican-led Texas House in 2023 over allegations linked to bribery and corruption, though he was later acquitted by the state Senate. His personal life also came under scrutiny after his wife announced plans to divorce him.
Despite those controversies, Paxton insisted his connection with Trump supporters gave him an advantage.
“This is the same argument they made against Donald Trump,” Paxton said while responding to concerns over his political baggage.
“What people should really care about is back to my message: What have you done for the people of Texas when you have served them? And the answer for John is: ‘I’ve done nothing good for you. I listened to Mitch McConnell. I wasn’t there for you. I was not there for Trump,’” he added.
Although defeated, Cornyn pledged to support Paxton in the November election.
“I’ve spent most of my time in the Senate building the Republican Party in Texas and in the U.S. Senate. And I’ve always supported the Republican ticket. And I intend to do so again in this general election,” Cornyn said.
Throughout the primary campaign, Paxton repeatedly highlighted his loyalty to Trump, including his role in challenging the 2020 presidential election results.
He also dismissed criticism surrounding his legal battles, saying, “Look, people can choose to vote on whatever they want. We have a president who went through all kinds of supposed legal issues. I have, too, and I’ve come out on top. All I can say is I’ve been acquitted. I’ve been redeemed.”
Paxton has already begun targeting Talarico ahead of the general election, branding the Democrat with nicknames while accusing him of holding radical views.
Talarico, however, quickly fired back after the primary result, calling Paxton “the most corrupt politician in America.”
“That kind of corruption is the rot at the core of this broken system. It’s why we can’t afford anything. It’s why we can’t get ahead no matter how hard we work,” Talarico said as he framed the race as “the people versus Ken Paxton.”
