Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff, according to early election returns. Paxton is projected to receive about 64% of the vote, with more than 95% of ballots reported, based on data from Decision Desk HQ.
The race drew attention as a potential sign of shifting dynamics within Texas’s Republican Party. Paxton’s victory is viewed as a setback for Cornyn, a senior senator seeking re-election for a fifth term.
Sources say Paxton’s campaign capitalized on anti-establishment sentiment, emphasizing loyalty to former President Donald Trump and criticizing the GOP’s political establishment. Cornyn, a veteran senator, sought to maintain his seat amid a changing political landscape in Texas.
The primary runoff results could have implications for the state’s Senate race in the upcoming election cycle, with Paxton’s win signaling a possible shift in the party’s direction.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
