Trump-backed Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate primary

Cornyn, who had occasionally criticized Trump and was previously discussed as a potential Senate leader, was branded 'disloyal' by the former president. His defeat marks the latest in a series of primary losses for Republican incumbents who have crossed Trump.

A controversial figure with a long legal record

Paxton, 63, has served as Texas Attorney General since 2014 and previously held seats in both chambers of the Texas legislature. He studied psychology and law, worked as a lawyer, and founded a church with his wife, with whom he has four children.

His career has been shadowed by multiple scandals. Paxton has faced allegations of securities fraud, bribery, abuse of office, and nepotism. He survived an impeachment proceeding in which several Republican colleagues voted against him, and his marriage ended following an extramarital affair that was linked to corruption allegations involving a friend and major donor.

Paxton has also been a relentless legal antagonist of Democratic administrations, suing the federal government repeatedly under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, including over the Affordable Care Act. He has championed hardline immigration policies, opposition to abortion, and opposition to LGBTQ rights.

Trump’s purge of disloyal Republicans

The outcome in Texas is part of a broader Trump-driven purge of Republicans deemed insufficiently loyal. In Kentucky, Representative Thomas Massie lost his primary, and in Louisiana, Senator Bill Cassidy was also defeated. Both had drawn Trump’s ire.

The victories for Trump-endorsed candidates carry significant risk for the party. In recent years, the Republican Party lost three Senate seats because Trump backed loyal but controversial candidates. Some Republicans in Washington considered Trump’s endorsement of Paxton unwise, and the moderate wing of the party is concerned about the financial cost of defending a nominee with Paxton’s legal baggage.

Democrats eye a rare Texas opportunity

Democrats see an opening. James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate seat, will face Paxton in November. Although Texas has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than sixty years, the party believes Paxton’s vulnerabilities make the race competitive.

The November elections will determine control of the U.S. Congress. If Democrats gain three Senate seats in the midterms, they would hold a majority. It is considered highly likely that Democrats will win a majority in the House of Representatives. Without a majority in Congress, Donald Trump’s ability to act would be largely constrained.

Last week, Senators adjourned early for a one-week recess without completing their business, a sign of the uncertainty gripping Capitol Hill. Incumbent Republican lawmakers who lost primaries, including Cornyn, remain in Congress until next January.

The Texas race now becomes one of the most closely watched contests in the country, with control of the Senate potentially hanging in the balance.