The Brief
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton picked up the endorsement of the Conservative Political Action Conference for Senate on Saturday.
The group held its convention in Grapevine, Texas, this year.
Incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn, Paxton’s opponent, skipped the conference this year.
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has gotten the nod from the Conservative Political Action Conference in his bid to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
During the convention’s final day in Grapevine, Texas, on Saturday, CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp shook Paxton’s hand center-stage as he announced the group’s official endorsement.
What they’re saying
Paxton thanked the gathering and encouraged them to vote in the May 26 runoff. He also used the opportunity to go after his opponent who opted not to attend the convention this year.
“I think it’s indicative of the problem with John Cornyn that he wouldn’t come to what I think is the largest grassroots event in the last year in Texas, and he wouldn’t even show up,” Paxton said.
He also called out the Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act, which would, among other things, require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. Cornyn has recently endorsed the measure.
Dig deeper
Paxton also brought up the partial government shutdown over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. While the Senate passed a measure to fund DHS early Friday morning, the House rejected it after senators left on a two-week recess.
“Let’s get rid of the guy that represents Washington, and let’s put somebody in that represents Texas,” Paxton said.
What’s next
Early voting for the runoff between Cornyn and Paxton runs from May 18-22. The last day to register to vote is April 27.
The other side
FOX Local contacted the Cornyn campaign for comment but has not yet heard back.
The Source
Information in this story came from Ken Paxton’s remarks at CPAC, the Texas Secretary of State’s website and previous FOX Local reporting.