{"id":2608256,"date":"2026-05-29T13:16:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T17:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sting-in-the-tale-cornyn-gets-philosophical-after-blowout-loss-to-paxton\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T13:17:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T17:17:02","slug":"sting-in-the-tale-cornyn-gets-philosophical-after-blowout-loss-to-paxton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sting-in-the-tale-cornyn-gets-philosophical-after-blowout-loss-to-paxton\/","title":{"rendered":"Sting in the tale: Cornyn gets philosophical after blowout loss to Paxton"},"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\">24<\/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%2Fsting-in-the-tale-cornyn-gets-philosophical-after-blowout-loss-to-paxton%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=2608256&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>Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) responded to his unexpected defeat by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary runoff by posting the fable of the scorpion and the frog. Cornyn shared the story without description, noting it was \u201can old, but apt fable,\u201d and later paired it with a Churchill quote about setbacks not being the end.  <\/p>\n<p>The loss followed President Donald Trump\u2019s backing of Paxton just before the runoff, after which Cornyn had struggled with criticism from the party\u2019s right flank for positions seen as insufficiently aligned with Trump and the MAGA wing. Cornyn\u2019s margin of defeat-28 points-reflected how effectively paxton and allies cast him as part of the establishment rather than the populist movement.  <\/p>\n<p>Paxton also enters the general election with controversy, including impeachment in 2023 (later acquitted) and other legal and ethical scrutiny. Even so, the GOP primary result suggested many voters were willing to overlook those issues in favor of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kari-lake-on-short-list-of-candidates-trump-wants-as-2024-running-mate-report\/\" title=\"Kari Lake on short list of candidates ... wants as 2024 running mate: Report\">candidate closely aligned<\/a> with Trump.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"965\">John Cornyn <\/a>(R-TX) struck a philosophical tone in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/final-straw-hollywood-reporter-sources-say-disney-wanted-to-fire-carano-in-november\/\" title=\"\u2018Final Straw\u2019: Hollywood Reporter Sources Say Disney Wanted To Fire Carano In November\">recent social media post<\/a> following his major loss to Texas Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4370\">Ken Paxton<\/a> in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"253\">Lone Star<\/a> State\u2019s Republican primary runoff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The longtime senator cryptically<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/2060335046515396809?s=20\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/2060335046515396809?s=20\"> shared the fable<\/a> of the scorpion and the frog. In the story, a scorpion convinces a frog to carry it across a river, only to sting the frog midway, dooming them both. The scorpion explains the sting as being in its nature.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4587261\/jane-fonda-endorses-karen-bass\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jane Fonda endorses Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4586960\/joe-concha-slams-jimmy-kimmel-spencer-pratt-joke\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Joe Concha slams Jimmy Kimmel for criticisms against Spencer Pratt<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4583370\/scott-bessent-newsom-tax-anti-weaponization-fund\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Bessent slams Newsom\u2019s 100% tax on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >anti-weaponization fund<\/a>: \u2018No cure for stupid\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cornyn offered no reason as to why he chose to share the tale, only calling it \u201can old, but apt fable.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vague message came days after Cornyn <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4583922\/cornyn-blowout-loss-exposes-polling-miss-texas-primary\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4583922\/cornyn-blowout-loss-exposes-polling-miss-texas-primary\/\">lost his chances<\/a> at keeping a seat he\u2019s held for over two decades, after President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> endorsed Paxton in the final hour before the runoff election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cornyn was once considered politically untouchable in Texas, but struggled to overcome criticism from the party\u2019s right flank. Conservatives attacked him for backing bipartisan gun legislation following the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and for his role in Senate negotiations on immigration and Ukraine aid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paxton and his allies portrayed Cornyn as out of step with Trump\u2019s MAGA movement and too closely aligned with the Republican establishment in Washington. Their strategy worked, as Cornyn lost the primary by 28 percentage points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump ultimately said he chose to support Paxton because Cornyn didn\u2019t support him when \u201ctimes were tough.\u201d Cornyn had argued that Trump should not run again following the president\u2019s 2020 electoral defeat, before eventually backing Trump\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign. After Cornyn\u2019s loss, the president <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4583193\/trump-celebrates-ken-paxton-victory-congratulates-john-cornyn-truly-great-career\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4583193\/trump-celebrates-ken-paxton-victory-congratulates-john-cornyn-truly-great-career\/\">congratulated him on<\/a> having a \u201ctruly great career.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paxton enters the general election carrying significant political baggage. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-ag-barr-authorizes-federal-prosecutors-to-pursue-substantial-allegations-of-voting-irregularities-before-2020-election-is-certified\/\" title=\"BREAKING: AG Barr Authorizes Federal Prosecutors to Pursue &quot;Substantial Allegations&quot; of Voting Irregularities Before 2020 Election is Certified\">attorney general<\/a> was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-others-react-to-ken-paxtons-impeachment-acquittal\/\" title=\"... and others respond to ...&#039;s impeachment acquittal.\">allegations including bribery<\/a> and abuse of office, though he was later acquitted by the Republican-controlled state Senate. He also settled a whistleblower lawsuit with former aides and has faced scrutiny over legal and ethical controversies throughout his tenure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-trump-loses-sway-over-cornyn-after-texas-senate-loss\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4574393\/trump-endorses-ken-paxton-ahead-texas-senate-primary-runoff\/\"><strong>TRUMP LOSES SWAY OVER CORNYN AFTER TEXAS SENATE LOSS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Paxton\u2019s victory suggested many Republican voters were willing to overlook those controversies in favor of a candidate closely aligned with Trump and the party\u2019s populist wing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cornyn has not publicly indicated what comes next after his loss, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/2060341891514634557?s=20\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/2060341891514634557?s=20\">but he did share<\/a> an optimistic quote from Winston Churchill after posting the sting in the tale fable: \u201cNow this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cornyn post turned philosophical after his Paxton primary loss<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2608257,"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\/2026\/05\/AP26147049117630-e1779902552762.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[80455,35613,22362,49262,39110],"class_list":["post-2608256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-blowout-loss","tag-college-athletics","tag-cornyn","tag-philosophy","tag-sports-analysis"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26147049117630-e1779902552762.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608256","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\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2608256"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2608260,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608256\/revisions\/2608260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2608257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2608256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2608256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2608256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}