{"id":2414226,"date":"2025-03-21T13:46:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-senators-under-primary-threat-try-to-get-in-magas-good-graces-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T13:46:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:46:02","slug":"gop-senators-under-primary-threat-try-to-get-in-magas-good-graces-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-senators-under-primary-threat-try-to-get-in-magas-good-graces-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP senators under primary threat try to get in MAGA&#8217;s good graces &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-senators-under-primary-threat-try-to-get-in-magas-good-graces-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2414226&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Republican senators under primary threat make public moves to get in MAGA&rsquo;s good graces<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2031433\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Republican<\/a> senators who appear likely to face <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-primary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">primary<\/a> threats are taking steps to stay on the good side of the party&rsquo;s MAGA wing.<\/p>\n<p>Both Sens. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-cassidy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Bill Cassidy<\/a> (R-LA) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) brushed off concerns about primary challenges in the 2026 midterm elections. However, both men made public moves this week to appeal to President Donald Trump&rsquo;s base.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3355085\/adam-schiff-democrats-action-jimmy-kimmel-live\/\">Adam Schiff says Democrats need to show they can get &#8216;s*** done&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3354586\/democrats-watershed-moment-party-leadership-joe-concha\/\">Democrats in middle of &#8216;watershed moment&#8217; for the party&#8217;s future: Joe Concha<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3353836\/netanyahu-fetterman-silver-plated-pager\/\">Netanyahu gifts Fetterman silver-plated pager on visit to Israel<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Cornyn posted a picture of himself reading Trump&rsquo;s book <em>The Art of the Deal<\/em> and said he &ldquo;recommended&rdquo; it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Recommended <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/l6o9pwJr5J\">pic.twitter.com\/l6o9pwJr5J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/1902811136762028118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Texas Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Ken Paxton<\/a>, a staunch Trump ally and MAGA firebrand, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3351927\/ken-paxton-hints-primary-challenge-john-cornyn-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">hinted at a primary challenge<\/a> against Cornyn.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s just time,&rdquo; Paxton told <em>Punchbowl News<\/em>. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s had his chance. He hasn&rsquo;t performed well, and the voters know it. You can go a long time without people paying attention. And they&rsquo;re paying attention now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Paxton said he would decide whether or not to run in the coming months, and he thinks he could win with $20 million in fundraising.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve run these primaries in Texas before. I honestly don&rsquo;t see how [Cornyn] overcomes his numbers,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Cornyn dismissed those concerns, noting he&rsquo;s not &ldquo;thinking too much about 2026 now, I&rsquo;m thinking about 2025,&rdquo; in terms of advancing Trump&rsquo;s agenda in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve run in a lot of elections, and I&rsquo;ve always had a primary and have, fortunately, always been successful,&rdquo; Cornyn said this week. &ldquo;My last primary in 2020, I won by 76% of the vote, and it&rsquo;s like, you gotta earn it, you can&rsquo;t take it for granted, and I certainly have tried to do that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Paxton and Cornyn have a history of squabbles. Cornyn openly mocked the attorney general during his impeachment trial, which centered on corruption allegations.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy, who could also see a primary challenge in 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenBillCassidy\/status\/1902822205014049093v\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">announced<\/a> he would sponsor legislation to dismantle the Department of Education hours after Trump signed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3353848\/trump-executive-order-shut-down-education-department-official\/v\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">an executive order<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3354619\/trump-education-executive-order-congressional-legal-hurdles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">request the agency be eliminated<\/a>. Trump has been attempting to dismantle or abolish the Education Department since his first term.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy drew the ire of Trump loyalists after he voted in 2021 to convict the president in the Senate impeachment trial for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 riot. He most recently found himself in the MAGA movement&rsquo;s crosshairs over his skepticism regarding the confirmation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy, a doctor, ultimately supported Kennedy&rsquo;s confirmation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/rep-clay-higgins\/feed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Clay Higgins<\/a> (R-LA), who was thought to be mulling a primary challenge to Cassidy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3354199\/bill-cassidy-escapes-primary-challenge-clay-higgins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">opted against one<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3224765\/senate-democrats-hope-midterms-2024-downballot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>SENATE DEMOCRATS SEE HOPE FOR MIDTERMS WITH 2024 DOWNBALLOT RESULTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In a previous statement to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, Cassidy praised Higgins&rsquo;s work in the House.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re both working to defend the American dream and support President Trump&rsquo;s pro-America agenda,&rdquo; Cassidy said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a man of strong faith and will continue serving southwest Louisiana well.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2031433\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2031433\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican senators under primary threat make public moves to get in MAGA\u2019s good graces Republican senators who appear likely to face primary threats are taking steps to stay on the good side of the party\u2019s MAGA wing. Both Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) brushed off concerns about primary challenges in the 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2414227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cornyn-and-cassidy-primary-challange.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2414226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cornyn-and-cassidy-primary-challange.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2414226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2414226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2414226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2414227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2414226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2414226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2414226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}