By THOMAS BEAUMONT<\/p>\n
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) \u2014 It was Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s<\/a> show at the Conservative Political Action Conference<\/a>, where hundreds of right-wing activists from around the country hailed him as Republicans\u2019 clear choice for U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n After meeting with supporters behind closed doors, Paxton crowned the day by standing before thousands as the keynote speaker at the Ronald Reagan dinner.<\/p>\n Paxton thanked them for sticking by his side after he was impeached \u2014 but acquitted<\/a> \u2014 for corruption charges by the Legislature four years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cI want you to know, there\u2019s only one reason I got through all that, and it\u2019s by the grace of God,\u201d he said Friday night as a wave of applause rolled through the hall. \u201cHe absolutely delivered me, and he used to people of Texas to deliver me.\u201d<\/p>\n If Paxton is going to win the Republican nomination, it will be because of support in rooms like this one. He is in a bitter runoff with Sen. John Cornyn after neither won enough votes in the March 3 primary.<\/a> Although Cornyn has raised far more money and is backed by the party establishment in Washington, Paxton\u2019s well-honed survival skills and rock-solid foundation with the local Republican base<\/a> could see him through the May 26 election.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump promised that he would endorse either Paxton or Cornyn weeks ago, but no announcement ever came.<\/a> Paxton, however, has had no trouble proving his bona fides with the party\u2019s right wing. <\/p>\n While Cornyn did not attend CPAC, which was held at a resort and convention center near Dallas, Paxton was extolled by speakers throughout the day. <\/p>\n \u201cKen Paxton is emblematic of the grassroots of the MAGA movement across the nation,\u201d Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser who hosts the \u201cWar Room\u201d podcast, said referring to Trump\u2019s \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d slogan that originated in his 2016 campaign.<\/p>\n Earlier Friday, CPAC senior fellow Mercedes Schlapp polled the crowd. Asking for a show of support for Paxton, there was a roar of cheers. When she asked about Cornyn, there was a light ripple of boos. <\/p>\n Cornyn finished first in the primary, which also featured U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. There were briefly concerns among Paxton\u2019s supporters that Trump would back the incumbent. That would have come as a relief to party leaders, who view Cornyn as stronger candidate against Democratic nominee James Talarico<\/a>.<\/p>\n