Ken Paxton Secures Texas GOP Senate Nomination, Toppling Establishment Figure John Cornyn
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, despite facing criminal indictments and impeachment, has won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, defeating entrenched incumbent John Cornyn in a primary marked by record spending and deep party divisions.
In a stunning display of the far-right's grip on Texas politics, Republicans have nominated Attorney General Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate, ousting establishment Senator John Cornyn. The primary, now the most expensive in Senate history with over $100 million spent, was fueled by a divisive endorsement from Donald Trump, further polarizing the party and showcasing the influence of extremist rhetoric and big money in American democracy.
Both candidates were forced into a runoff after neither could secure a majority in March, highlighting the fractured state of the GOP. Polls showed a late surge for Paxton, whose campaign leaned heavily on Trump’s backing, energizing the party’s most reactionary base. Paxton, openly praising Trump at rallies, signaled his alignment with the former president’s authoritarian tendencies and disregard for democratic norms.
Democrats see Paxton's victory as a rare opportunity to break the Republican stranglehold on Texas, which has shut out Democrats from statewide office since 1994. State Representative James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, avoided a runoff and now faces a Republican Party weakened by infighting and extremism.
Despite ongoing criminal indictments and impeachment proceedings, Paxton’s support among the GOP’s hard-right base remains strong—a troubling sign of the party’s willingness to overlook corruption and legal misconduct in favor of ideological purity. Cornyn, criticized by Paxton’s supporters for working with Democrats on bipartisan legislation, admitted the race exposed deep rifts in the party and warned of the dangers of exclusionary, hardline politics. Experts agree that the primary has left Texas Republicans more divided than ever, complicating any hope for unity.