Two powerful Texas Republicans are trading jabs on social media in a potential preview of a fierce primary against each other for U.S. Senate in two years. But the GOP politicians, Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have more pressing issues they must handle first.
Cornyn, the senior Republican senator from Texas, is a possible successor to longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. But not every Texas Republican thinks it is a good idea.
After the news broke that McConnell was stepping down from the top job in the fall, Paxton said on social media, “It will be difficult for @JohnCornyn to be an effective leader since he is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will be focused on his highly competitive primary campaign in 2026. Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative senator.”
Cornyn retorted, “Hard to run from prison, Ken.” It was a reference to the criminal charges Paxton faces.
The exchange was just one example of several social media spats between the two Republicans that are fueling speculation that Paxton might challenge Cornyn in 2026.
“He certainly seems to be sending those signals. Otherwise, there’s not really a reason to pick a fight with John Cornyn, who is a powerful, influential politician, not only in the state of Texas, but of course on Capitol Hill as well,” Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, told Spectrum News.
“The signal seems to be that Paxton is interested in making a run, or at the minimum if for whatever reason that is not in the cards, backing some sort of meaningful, conservative challenger to Cornyn in his next reelection battle,” Wilson continued.
Paxton has a staunch ally in former President Donald Trump and claimed victory following the Super Tuesday primaries after several Republicans who voted to impeach Paxton lost reelection or were forced into a runoff. The GOP-led Texas House voted to impeach Paxton, accusing him of obstruction of justice, bribery and abuse of office.
