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Attorney General Ken\u00a0Paxton applauds supporters as he takes the stage Tuesday in Plano at his election night watch party.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2013 The Texas Senate brawl<\/a> roared into the next round Wednesday, with Republicans trying to heal and Democrats smelling opportunity.<\/p>\n Ken\u00a0Paxton’s<\/a> allies already were working to repair party fractures after the Trump-endorsed attorney general\u00a0steamrolled Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> to capture the party\u2019s Senate nomination.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Democratic Senate contender James Talarico<\/a>, meanwhile, was courting disaffected Republicans and independents, warning that Paxton represents a broken and corrupt political system.<\/p>\n And\u00a0Paxton\u2019s campaign, looking to the faceoff with Talarico<\/a>, moved quickly to air a new attack ad accusing him of pushing a liberal agenda out of step with Texas.<\/p>\n The rapid escalation showed Texas shifting from a divisive primary to a high-stakes general election centered as much on the candidates\u2019 personalities, backgrounds and ethics as policy.<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Even President Donald Trump<\/a> weighed in, pledging to campaign for him in Texas and deriding\u00a0Talarico as too extreme.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n To win in November,\u00a0Paxton needs to bring together the different parts of the GOP, including the traditional Bush-era Republicans whose preferred candidate<\/a> he just walloped.<\/p>\n A victorious\u00a0Paxton said Tuesday night he wants to earn the support of Texans who didn\u2019t back him in the first round.<\/p>\n \u201cThe future of Texas and the future of America is on the line and I intend to do everything I can to expand our movement,\u201d he told supporters in\u00a0Plano.<\/p>\n Cornyn<\/a>, in his concession in Austin, said he would support \u201cthe Republican ticket\u201d this fall but avoided explicitly endorsing Paxton.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to imagine Paxton and Cornyn sharing a stage anytime soon, given the two men have spent the past year sparring viciously<\/a>. Cornyn and his allies spent massive sums to publicly excoriate Paxton as an unethical crook and wanton philanderer, spotlighting allegations Paxton has denied.<\/p>\n Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., supported Cornyn but said Wednesday on conservative Hugh Hewitt\u2019s show that Texas Republicans have spoken.<\/p>\n \u201cKen\u00a0Paxton is our nominee heading into November, and we\u2019ve got to pivot and go all in to make sure that we keep Texas red,\u201d\u00a0Thune said.<\/p>\n Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, who both stayed clear of the runoff clash<\/a>, were among the prominent Texas Republicans who quickly endorsed Paxton and urged the party to come together behind his nomination.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cA united Republican Party will drive victory,\u201d Abbott said. \u201cTogether, we will crush socialist Democrats\u2019 dream of turning Texas blue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n