In a decisive victory that underscores the enduring influence of the MAGA wing within the Republican Party, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the state’s GOP Senate primary runoff on May 26, 2026. With the vast majority of votes counted, Paxton secured approximately 63-64% of the vote to Cornyn’s 36%, advancing as the Republican nominee to face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November’s general election in deeply red Texas.
The outcome marks a significant upset for the GOP establishment. Cornyn, who has represented Texas in the Senate since 2002, became the first Texas senator in modern history to lose a renomination bid. Paxton’s win, reluctantly backed by President Donald Trump, who only endorsed with days until the runoff, signals a continued purge of RINOs in the party.
Background
Cornyn edged Paxton with roughly 42% to 40-41%, with the remainder split among other candidates, including Rep. Wesley Hunt. This forced a May 26 runoff—the first head-to-head matchup between the two prominent Texas Republicans. Despite the narrow victory in round 1, Cronyn would get clapped in the runoff.
The race became the most expensive Senate primary in US history, with total ad spending exceeding $100-135 million. Pro-Cornyn groups and the incumbent outspent Paxton significantly, by some estimates $80-90 million more on advertising, yet the financial advantage failed to sway voters.
Cornyn and allies hammered Paxton over personal and professional controversies: a 2023 impeachment trial (from which he was acquitted) involving abuse-of-power allegations and reports of extramarital affairs, a messy divorce, and ongoing legal scrutiny. Pro-Cornyn ads flooded the airwaves with these attacks. Yet Paxton countered effectively because no matter his personal failings, he is preferable to a corrupt politician who opposes the will of his constituents.
Analysis
The era of rubber stamp primaries appears to be over for Republican incumbents, and this is a welcomed change. Two sitting US Senators fell in Republican primaries, Bill Cassidy came in third place, not even making the runoff. This is an incredible development as Americans, even Republicans, love to vote for incumbents in the primary.
3 Responses
No, Paxton was clearly the favorite here in Texas against rino Cornyn, especially among real conservatives. Trump only got on board (and after the voting began!) when it was clear Paxton was going to win. Trump and MAGA had little to do with Paxton’s win, but it’s being used by Trump to promote the idea of Trump’s power. Paxton is the most viable candidate against Talarico.
Excellent comment, Rene – thanks for clarfying for non-Texans.
Davidicas@pm.me
Burnet, TX
Good grief. Your calling John Cornyn a “RINO” only belies your age. Democrats ran Texas like an iron fist for decades, often holding the governorship, both senate seats and a state legislative majority. When Kay Bailey Hutchison won a Senate seat in Texas in the mid-90s she became a Republican celebrity. Republicans took over Texas from the Democrats only when and because George W. Bush beat Ann Richards and rebuilt the Texas state GOP from the ground up. John Cornyn was one of the first generation of Texas Republicans to win statewide office after the takeover. Back then Texas politics was FAR more moderate than the ruby-red state that it is now. There is no way that a guy like Ted Cruz wins a Texas Senate seat back then. You may scoff and roll your eyes now, but at the time Cruz was elected he was considered one of the most far right wing guys in the Senate and Democrats called him a dangerous extremist.
Guys like you don’t know that Bill Clinton won Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee in the 1992 presidential election and most of those states again – including Florida – in 1996. And yes, George W. Bush only “won” Florida in 2000 because Palm Beach County, a Democratic stronghold with a population of over 1 million, produced a flawed ballot (intending to help the visually impaired) that invalidated tens of thousands of Democratic votes. Cornyn won that Texas senate seat 2 years after the Democratic presidential candidates carried Florida 3 straight times. Meaning that the sorts of candidates that you guys under 35 today like would have had absolutely no chance. The Democratic Party in Texas back then didn’t nominate outliers like Talarico. They nominated actually qualified people i.e. mayors of Dallas, Houston or San Antonio with moderate politics. And in the less conservative state that Texas was like then, a guy like Paxton would have had no chance. Actually I will go ahead and say it: Paxton would have no chance if the Texas Democrats were still nominating people like Ann Richards and Lloyd Bentsen instead of progressive loons. If you like Josh Hawley, the same is true. 20 years ago he would have had no chance of getting elected in a state that Clinton carried twice and Al Gore lost by less than 80,000 votes out of 2.3 million cast.
Actual RINOs are the likes of Susan Collins (who will probably lose to a Democrat this year) and Lisa Murkowski, not people that Trump and his fans arbitrarily choose to dislike such as Thom Tillis (one of the rare actual pro lifers in the GOP when he was elected) and Brian Kemp. Bill Cassidy? More of the same. He is a moderate (not a RINO), sure, but he defeated Mary Landrieu, a 3 term Democratic incumbent coming from one of Louisiana’s most powerful political dynasties. He was elected back when having a doctor (a liver specialist) in politics to oppose Roe v. Wade was huge. Neither of the people who beat Cassidy in this primary would have had a chance against Landrieu back then.
The Trump fans going about calling everyone a RINO understand neither politics or history. If they stay in control of the GOP after Trump effectively leaves politics after this year’s elections, expect crushing Democratic victories in 2028 and afterwards.