Trump-backed Ken Paxton ousts John Cornyn in heated Texas race after scandal-plagued campaign
Summary
Ken Paxton, supported by President Donald Trump, won the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate in Texas, defeating incumbent John Cornyn. Paxton, despite past legal and personal controversies, will face Democrat James Talarico in the upcoming midterm election for a Senate seat.Key Facts
- Ken Paxton is the Texas attorney general and was first elected in 2014.
- Paxton received backing from President Donald Trump in the Republican primary.
- Incumbent Senator John Cornyn lost the primary runoff against Paxton.
- Paxton has faced legal challenges, including impeachment in 2023 and an indictment on felony charges, but was acquitted or had cases dismissed.
- Paxton launched investigations on abortion bans and transgender youth care, positioning himself on the far right politically.
- The Democratic challenger for the Senate seat is James Talarico, a pastor and state legislator.
- Texas remains a strongly conservative state; Trump won Texas by 14 percentage points in 2024.
- President Trump publicly criticized Cornyn for disloyalty prior to the runoff election.
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