On Tuesday night, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a website declaring his bid for the U.S. Senate seat in 2026, potentially leading to a intense Republican primary battle with current four-term Senator John Cornyn.
As the three-time former chief legal officer, who weathered an impeachment attempt in the state legislature in 2023, shared his intentions on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle," the website came into view.
I'm campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate with the aim of advocating for President Trump's policies and smashing through the entrenched political system in D.C.," Paxton stated. "Over more than twenty years, John Cornyn has remained in Washington, repeatedly abandoning both President Trump and the America First platform.
On the Fox show, Paxton pointed out that another five-year term for Cornyn would result in him spending three decades in Washington.
"Definitely, it's time for a change in Texas," Paxton said to host Laura Ingraham.
The Cornyn campaign responded swiftly with a heated statement, declaring "Ken Paxton is a fraud."
"During his initial term, John Cornyn supported President Trump over 95 percent of the time compared to other senators, helping him secure crucial votes for his major achievements as his Whip," the campaign stated. said on X Democrats are attempting to undermine President Trump, and both him and Texas require a seasoned conservative who can safeguard his policies in the Senate and isn’t outmaneuvered by Chuck Schumer.
Paxton, who previously served as a legislator in both the Texas House and Senate, had been giving clear indications for over a year that he was eager to take on Cornyn. Both individuals, with Cornyn having also held the position of Texas Attorney General, have participated in an online battle of rhetoric regarding numerous accusations that resulted in Paxton’s impeachment.
Paxton disclosed this information on Tuesday, which is less than two weeks since the initial event. Cornyn declared on March 27 He aimed for another term. In his statement, Cornyn released a video where he paid tribute to Trump, with whom he shares an extensive history alongside Paxton.
The Texas Democrats responded succinctly but sharply: "RIP, Cornyn." The event was published on X.
However, the Cornyn campaign is not backing down: "This will be an enthusiastic campaign, and we guarantee Texans that they will have a genuine option when this contest concludes."
Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, noted that Paxton seems more closely aligned with the most conservative faction of the Texas Republican Party and with supporters loyal to Trump than Cornyn does.
However, regardless of who emerges victorious in the March primary, Texas Democrats seem unlikely to benefit from any internal conflict within the Republican Party, according to Taylor.
To put it frankly, the Democrats have an issue since none of their candidates seem suitable," Taylor stated. "They might discuss attracting someone effectively.
The Democratic ex-congressman Colin Allred from Dallas has shown interest in mounting another attempt at securing a seat in the U.S. Senate. However, Taylor suggested that Allred’s poor performance in the previous election where he was defeated by the Republican incumbent Ted Cruz with an 8.5-point margin does not bode well for future prospects.
The upcoming election next year will be a midterm one, usually indicating a favorable period for the party not occupying the White House, as mentioned by Taylor. Trump’s challenging start to his bid for another term seems to indicate early on that 2026 might turn out to be a difficult year for Republicans.
Taylor posed the query: "But where will Democrats locate someone acceptable enough to appeal to swing voters, moderates, and perhaps even some Republicans who aren’t fond of Ken Paxton?"
This article initially appeared on the Austin American-Statesman. Ken Paxton officially announces his challenge to US Senator John Cornyn in the 2026 Republican primary.
