Paxton defeats Cornyn 64-36 in Texas Senate GOP runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term Senator John Cornyn in Tuesday's Republican primary runoff, securing the party's Senate nomination with roughly 64 percent of the vote to Cornyn's 36 percent. The outcome marks the first time a sitting Republican senator from Texas has lost a primary for reelection and hands a significant victory to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Paxton just days before the contest.

Paxton, who has faced multiple investigations over allegations of corruption, securities fraud and personal misconduct, celebrated the win as a triumph of Trump's influence. He described the president's backing as the most powerful force in politics and vowed to carry forward a hard-line agenda in the Senate. Trump, for his part, quickly claimed credit on social media, posting images celebrating Paxton's success as further proof of his sway over Republican voters.

The race became the most expensive Senate primary in American history, with more than 130 million dollars spent between the March initial vote and the runoff. Cornyn, a former member of Senate Republican leadership, had drawn support from party donors and establishment figures who viewed him as a safer choice for the general election. Those calculations proved insufficient against the surge of Trump-aligned voters who turned out in force.

Democrats are already positioning the result as an opening. Their nominee, state Representative James Talarico, a progressive lawmaker and pastor from the Austin area, has shown strength in early polling against Paxton. Analysts note that Paxton's ethical baggage and limited fundraising ability could make him more vulnerable in November than Cornyn would have been. The general election will help determine whether Democrats can narrow the GOP's narrow Senate majority during the final two years of Trump's term.

Paxton's primary victory fits a pattern of Trump successfully targeting Republicans he deems insufficiently loyal. Similar efforts succeeded in recent contests in Louisiana, Kentucky and Indiana. Cornyn had attempted to align himself more closely with Trump on immigration and other issues but never fully erased doubts about his earlier skepticism toward the president.

The Texas outcome leaves Senate Republicans facing an added financial burden. Party leaders had already committed resources to defending seats in several states; they now confront the prospect of diverting still more money to prop up a nominee with documented legal and ethical liabilities. Whether that investment proves sufficient remains an open question heading into the fall.