Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday he is running to unseat Sen. John Cornyn in next year’s midterm elections.
“We have a great U.S. Senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump in the areas he’s focused on, in a very significant way,” Paxton told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. “That’s what I plan on doing.”
The AG criticized Cornyn for his work in the upper chamber, “things like his gun restrictions, his lack of wanting to fund a border wall, and even opposing President Trump’s election in 2016 and in the most recent election.”
“There’s certainly many things to focus on that he has not done,” Paxton continued, “and I think it’s time that somebody held him accountable for that.”
It's official. I’m running for U.S. Senate to fight for President Trump’s agenda and take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment.
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) April 8, 2025
Together, let's send John Cornyn packing: https://t.co/rQl0P2UnWU pic.twitter.com/1KIajC0JhN
The Cornyn campaign blasted Paxton as a “fraud” and one who “claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family.”
.@JohnCornyn spox statement on @KenPaxtonTX’s #TXSen entry, coming out swinging:
— Brad Johnson (@bradj_TX) April 8, 2025
“Ken Paxton is a fraud. He talks tough on crime and then lets crooked progressive Lina Hidalgo off the hook.” pic.twitter.com/SLa5ZB5SVW
Paxton gave it right back.
Our campaign only responds to serious candidates who aren't 25 points down in the polls. https://t.co/V4aTQcAfOA
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) April 8, 2025
Internal polls show Paxton leading by more than 20 percentage points over Cornyn, The New York Times reports.