With early voting underway in Texas, the three major candidates in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate were in North Texas last week to encourage their supporters to head to the polls.
Longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing the fight of his political life, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston Rep. Wesley Hunt both challenging him for the GOP nomination.
The most recent polling from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs showed Paxton with 38% support, Cornyn at 31%, Hunt with 17% and 12% undecided. The Real Clear Politics average of polls between December 1 and February 3 gives Paxton a two-point lead.
If no candidate gets a majority, as is widely expected, the race will end up in a runoff on May 26th.
Latest from the Cornyn campaign
Cornyn rolled out high-profile endorsements last week from former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, North Texas Rep. Craig Goldman and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. Cornyn has warned Republicans if Paxton becomes their party’s nominee for the general election, he will put the Senate seat at risk.
“If the attorney general is at the top of the ballot, which is where the Senate race will be, we will have an election day massacre. Republicans up and down the ticket will pay the price of having an albatross like our corrupt attorney general hung around their neck,” Cornyn said at a campaign stop in North Texas.
The organization Ad Impact Politics, which tracks spending on political advertising, reported Cornyn’s campaign as well as PACs and other groups supporting him are spending big money on campaign advertising – nearly $59 million.
That’s 60 percent of the total money being spent and reserved on ads for the Republican and Democratic primaries combined, which has now climbed to nearly $100 million. The total is likely to climb higher, to what could be a record for a U.S. Senate seat.
“Texas is a big state, it’s hard to get your message out, and it takes money. I’m proud of the fact there are so many people who’ve dug so deep to support me,” Cornyn said of the campaign spending. “It’s going to be a whole lot more expensive for Republicans to hold onto this seat if I’m not the nominee than if I am.”
Latest from the Paxton campaign
For the first time since Paxton entered the race last April, he invited local reporters to his campaign events last week, including one in Collin County. Before dozens of supporters, he said Cornyn should not be running for a fifth term.
“Can you name one great accomplishment of John Cornyn. No sir. Can anybody? I have never had anybody give an answer to that,” Paxton said. “He has adopted the Washington mentality, the Washington swamp, and he is not one of us.”
At Paxton’s campaign event, Jack asked him to respond to Cornyn’s comments that Texans cannot trust Paxton because he has lied to his own family. Paxton said, “First thing, he said the same thing about Donald Trump, that he couldn’t win and his day had passed. He’s got nothing to run on. I’m very proud of my record and I know we can win. I’ve been attacked since I’ve been in this office. I’m not surprised John Cornyn is focused on personal things as opposed to what he’s accomplished.”
Paxton was impeached in 2023 over allegations that his abused the power of his office in part to cover up an extramarital affair. Last year his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce “on biblical grounds,” over another alleged affair.
On predictions of a runoff, Paxton said he is the only candidate who could potentially win a majority on March 3. “If there is a runoff, I don’t know, Cornyn certainly has a chance of finishing third, which I think people would be shocked to know,” Paxton said.
Latest from the Hunt campaign
Hunt campaigned in North Texas last Monday, speaking before dozens of people at a meet-and-greet at the Dallas County Republican Party headquarters.
Hunt has called Cornyn a career politician and is now calling Paxton that, too.
“I’ve had countless people walk up to me and say Wesley, we love the fact that you are younger, we love the fact that you are younger, we love the fact you’re not a career politician. We love your military service and sacrifice to this nation. The fact of the matter is they are attacking me this way means you’re truly a threat,” he said in an interview with Jack.
Hunt has faced a barrage of negative ads from both Cornyn and Paxton, and groups supporting them.
“Do you think it’s this message about turning the page on career politicians that’s going to enable you to what everybody believes is going to be a runoff?” Jack asked.
“It’s going to be a runoff, and it’s not just that. I want to piggyback with that. It’s not just the career politicians’ piece, it’s about the idea that I’ve committed 12 years to be in the U.S. Senate. I believe in term limits. Twelve years up in the swamp is long enough,” Hunt replied.