{"id":2421258,"date":"2025-04-08T14:54:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-democrats-hopeful-paxton-challenges-cornyn-in-2026-senate-race\/"},"modified":"2025-04-08T14:56:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:56:02","slug":"texas-democrats-hopeful-paxton-challenges-cornyn-in-2026-senate-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-democrats-hopeful-paxton-challenges-cornyn-in-2026-senate-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Democrats hopeful Paxton challenges Cornyn in 2026 Senate race"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/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%2Ftexas-democrats-hopeful-paxton-challenges-cornyn-in-2026-senate-race%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=2421258&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>Texas Democrats are optimistic about the 2026 Senate race, especially if state Attorney General Ken Paxton challenges incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary.A recent Texas poll suggests that Paxton could lead Cornyn by a significant margin, owing to his alignment with the MAGA movement, despite his history of legal issues. Democrats believe Paxton would be an easier opponent in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/yes-mitch-mcconnell-would-rather-lose-the-senate-than-his-leadership-status\/\" title=\"Yes, Mitch McConnell Would Rather Lose The ...ate Than His Leadership Status\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/impossible-gop-picked-up-seats-in-house-picked-up-state-legislatures-picked-up-governorship-held-the-senate-but-sniffy-joe-won-not-a-chance\/\" title=\"IMPOSSIBLE: GOP Picked Up ...s in House, Picked Up ... Legislatures, Picked Up Governorship, Held the ...ate -- But Sniffy Joe Won?... NOT A CHANCE\">general election<\/a> due<\/a> to his partisanship and controversial reputation. Simultaneously occurring, Democratic candidate Colin Allred is considering a run after a close loss to Senator Ted Cruz in 2024. There are mixed sentiments regarding a potential matchup between Cornyn and Paxton,with cornyn appealing to moderates but having less fervent support among the GOP base. The outcome of the primary could be influenced by who receives former President trump&#8217;s endorsement, which is crucial for candidates like Paxton and Cornyn. As it stands, Paxton has not officially announced his candidacy but is expected to do so soon.  <\/p>\n<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\">Texas Democrats look forward to &lsquo;very fun times&rsquo; if Paxton challenges Cornyn&rsquo;s senate seat<\/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_2086318\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3367981\/democrats-threaten-sue-greg-abbott-delaying-texas-special-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Texas Democrats<\/a> are eyeing what they believe is a more favorable 2026 Senate race matchup if state Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Ken Paxton<\/a> beats out incumbent Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) in the GOP primary.<\/p>\n<p>While Cornyn has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dont-look-to-california-for-healthcare-reform\/\" title=\"Don\u2019t Look To California For Healthcare Reform\">consistent track record<\/a> of reelection since taking office in 2002, a recent Texas Public Opinion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borderreport.com\/news\/are-you-delusional-2026-texas-senate-race-heats-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">poll <\/a>showed Paxton winning a primary fight against him 38% to 27%. The MAGA-aligned Paxton has a history of legal trouble, while Cornyn has been accused of being too bipartisan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/3373954\/takeaways-trade-jamieson-greer-tariff-testimony-senate\/\">Takeaways from Trump trade chief&rsquo;s tariff testimony before Senate<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3373395\/watch-live-trade-rep-jamieson-greer-testifies-before-senate-finance-committee\/\">WATCH LIVE: Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer testifies before Senate Finance Committee<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3373145\/senate-gop-leaders-dismiss-push-curb-trump-tariff-power\/\">Senate GOP leaders dismiss bipartisan push to curb Trump&rsquo;s tariff power<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Nobody should beat around the bush here that in a general election, you&rsquo;d want to run against Paxton,&rdquo; Democratic operative Matt Angle told <em>NOTUS<\/em>. &ldquo;He is a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">corrupt public official<\/a> who has been extreme in terms of his partisanship and his failure to do things that are good for Texas.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>On the Democratic side, 2024 Senate candidate Colin Allred is &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/news\/politics\/2025\/03\/26\/colin-allred-seriously-considering-2026-senate-bid-for-john-cornyns-seat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">seriously considering<\/a>&rdquo; a run in 2026 after losing to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 53.1% to 44.6%. Cornyn responded to Allred by telling him to &ldquo;come and take&rdquo; his seat. Allred countered, &ldquo;Good luck with your primary, John,&rdquo; hinting he could have trouble making it to the general election.<\/p>\n<p>The same poll that put Paxton ahead of Cornyn also measured Allred&rsquo;s net favorability at plus 7.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic strategists in the state have said Cornyn and Paxton present pros and cons in a general election matchup. Cornyn could appeal more to moderates but might not drive a high turnout. Paxton could energize the MAGA base but will likely repel swing voters, giving Democrats more firepower against him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d rather run against Paxton, for sure,&rdquo; said Katherine Fischer, who worked on Democrat Beto O&rsquo;Rourke&rsquo;s campaign in 2018. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not as obvious to voters that John Cornyn is bad. It&rsquo;s more and more obvious with Ken Paxton.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Republican primary could come down to who President Donald Trump endorses. The Texas Republican Party <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/04\/01\/john-cornyn-texas-republican-party-abraham-george\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">agreed to maintain<\/a> neutrality in the race. Paxton is lobbying MAGA to get him Trump&rsquo;s endorsement, while Cornyn is utilizing his Senate connections to gain the president&rsquo;s support.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who Cornyn ran against in the chamber&rsquo;s leadership battle, recently endorsed the Texas senator.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping that in the end, he can,&rdquo; Thune said when asked about Trump supporting Cornyn. &ldquo;Obviously, we&rsquo;re supporting Sen. Cornyn. He&rsquo;s done a great job for Texas and for the country. And we need him back.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Cornyn said he believes Trump will make an endorsement &ldquo;when he&rsquo;s ready.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2025\/04\/06\/politics\/cornyn-texas-senate-primary\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">could jump<\/a> in the primary as well. He reportedly believes he&rsquo;s the only one who could win the primary and general election.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Now, he&rsquo;s scrambling to rewrite history &mdash; hoping voters will forget he ever turned his back on the very movement that built our momentum and delivered the majority for Republicans, specifically the Senate,&rdquo; Hunt told CNN about Cornyn.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The United States Senate is not a retirement community. It&rsquo;s a battleground for the soul of this nation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And in times like these, President Trump doesn&rsquo;t need fence sitters &mdash; he needs warriors.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s endorsement would likely help Cornyn, Hunt, or Paxton in the primary. However, the president&rsquo;s falling approval rating, linked to his tariff fight, could be a boon to them in the general election.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3315975\/doge-doing-across-federal-government\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>TRACKING WHAT DOGE IS DOING ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Donald Trump just announced the biggest middle-class tax hike in modern history &mdash; I wouldn&rsquo;t want to be John Cornyn or Ken Paxton right now,&rdquo; Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. &ldquo;Whoever emerges from this Senate primary as the Texas GOP nominee is going to have a tough road ahead of them. Texans are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, and I look forward to leading that charge.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Paxton has not announced his Senate run, despite hinting at it multiple times, but there is speculation he will finalize his campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/cbsaustin.com\/news\/local\/texas-ag-ken-paxton-eyes-potential-senate-bid-against-sen-john-cornyn-amid-public-feud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">later this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><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_2086318\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2086318\"}});<\/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>Texas Democrats anticipate a favorable 2026 Senate race if Paxton defeats Cornyn in the GOP primary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2421259,"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\/04\/Ken-Paxton.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[53076,22362,18466,34888,53075],"class_list":["post-2421258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-2026-senate-race","tag-cornyn","tag-paxton","tag-political-challenge","tag-texas-democrats"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Ken-Paxton.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421258","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\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2421258"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2421263,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421258\/revisions\/2421263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2421259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2421258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2421258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2421258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}