Cornyn Crushed: 7 Takeaways From Tuesday’s Runoffs in Texas
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Ken Paxton, endorsed by former President Trump and backed by the MAGA movement, defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a Texas Republican primary runoff, marking the second recent primary upset of a GOP senator by a Trump-backed challenger.
- The primary was the most expensive in U.S. history, with Paxton winning despite being outspent by approximately $80 million from pro-Cornyn advertising.
- Republicans are now preparing for a potentially competitive general election in Texas, a state Democrats have not won statewide in decades, as Democratic nominee James Talarico gains strong national donor support.
- National Republicans have expressed concern that Paxton’s controversial history could jeopardize the GOP’s hold on the Senate seat, but primary voters rejected establishment influence in favor of Paxton.