A race that will redefine the way the United States Senate works has ended with the defeat of Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) at the hands of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton benefited from a late endorsement by President Donald Trump and made the “do nothing” Republican Senate majority the focus of his campaign.
Paxton won by a blowout: about 63.8% to 36.2%. The Associated Press called the race for Paxton right after the polls closed at 9 p.m. ET in an election that caps off the most expensive Senate primary in history. Paxton will face Far Left Democrat Rep. James Talrico in the November General Election, and conservatives are already lining up to support Paxton.
“Texas is a conservative state and deserves a real conservative in the Senate. Ken Paxton has consistently stood up against Democrats and the establishment in Austin to defend the rule of law and freedoms for every Texan,” said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. “Meanwhile, James Talarico is the weirdest candidate to run for U.S. Senate. He has spent his career promoting woke gender ideology, fighting against meat consumption, and opposing the values Texans cherish. The choice in November is clear: we must elect Ken Paxton.”
Click here to watch Davy Crockett, a Win It Back PAC ad highlighting James Talarico’s woke and weird campaign platform.
As of May 19, AdImpact counted a record-breaking $25 million in ad spending in the runoff alone, adding to almost $100 million in Republican spending in the initial primary. In both races, most of that money supported Cornyn, a multi-decade incumbent backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Epoch Times reported that in the March 3 Republican Senate primary election, Cornyn bested Paxton, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), and other candidates, but he emerged with less than 50 percent of the vote, triggering a runoff, which Paxton won handily.
Cornyn’s ouster marks the latest Republican to be defeated by a Trump-backed primary challenger, following Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and several Indiana state senators in recent weeks.
In the other closely watched Texas runoff campaign State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) has won the Republican primary runoff election for Texas attorney general, defeating our friend U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21) in his quest to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Middleton took first place in the initial March 3 primary with 39 percent of the vote, while Roy landed in second place with 32 percent.
Although President Donald Trump declined to endorse in the race, both Middleton and Roy sought to highlight their allegiance to the president. Middleton adopted the moniker “MAGA Mayes,” and Roy pointed to his congressional voting record as best aligned with Trump’s agenda. Paxton also sidestepped an official endorsement, but in a recorded off-the-record comment recently said he would be voting for Middleton.
The Texan reported that, while candidate spending in the runoff election for the attorney general’s office did not reach the levels reported in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, it has included notable spending from the candidates and supporters.
Middleton, one of the most conservative state legislators and an oil and gas executive, put almost $17 million of his own money into the race, while Roy spent nearly $12 million but drew $5 million in donations from GOP megadonor Alex Fairly, $2 million of which landed just last week and boosted Roy’s advertising efforts, reported The Texan.
While President Trump did not make an official endorsement in the contest, Middleton pummeled Roy for saying Trump engaged in “clearly impeachable conduct” on Jan. 6, 2021, and for supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ failed 2024 presidential bid.
The Texas Tribune reported Middleton came from behind to beat Roy’s name ID lead during the primary, thanks in large part to the millions he put into television ads and mailers, promoting his loyalty to the president. While Trump didn’t endorse in the race, Middleton touted the president’s previous positive comments about him, promising to work hand-in-hand with the Trump administration on conservative goals.
Political observers were quick to attribute Chip Roy’s loss to his sometimes-rocky relationship with President Trump. “Roy has had a problem there, and he chose to lean into those conflicts and use that as potentially as a strength,” said Joshua Blank, research director at the Texas Politics Project. “But if recent races are any guide, deviation from the president is not of any value in the Republican primary.”
The campaign proved to be the most expensive attorney general’s race in U.S. history, while Roy outspent Middleton on ads during the runoff, Middleton spent more during the entire cycle.
Far Left Democrat Attorney General nominee Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson has promised to stand with blue state attorneys general in pursuing litigation against the Trump administration. That is a peculiar campaign strategy in a state where President Trump and his policies remain popular, but it is a guaranteed winner with the Hollywood liberals who are expected to donate millions to his campaign.
Paxton won by a blowout: about 63.8% to 36.2%. The Associated Press called the race for Paxton right after the polls closed at 9 p.m. ET in an election that caps off the most expensive Senate primary in history. Paxton will face Far Left Democrat Rep. James Talrico in the November General Election, and conservatives are already lining up to support Paxton.
“Texas is a conservative state and deserves a real conservative in the Senate. Ken Paxton has consistently stood up against Democrats and the establishment in Austin to defend the rule of law and freedoms for every Texan,” said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. “Meanwhile, James Talarico is the weirdest candidate to run for U.S. Senate. He has spent his career promoting woke gender ideology, fighting against meat consumption, and opposing the values Texans cherish. The choice in November is clear: we must elect Ken Paxton.”
Click here to watch Davy Crockett, a Win It Back PAC ad highlighting James Talarico’s woke and weird campaign platform.
As of May 19, AdImpact counted a record-breaking $25 million in ad spending in the runoff alone, adding to almost $100 million in Republican spending in the initial primary. In both races, most of that money supported Cornyn, a multi-decade incumbent backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Epoch Times reported that in the March 3 Republican Senate primary election, Cornyn bested Paxton, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), and other candidates, but he emerged with less than 50 percent of the vote, triggering a runoff, which Paxton won handily.
Cornyn’s ouster marks the latest Republican to be defeated by a Trump-backed primary challenger, following Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and several Indiana state senators in recent weeks.
In the other closely watched Texas runoff campaign State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) has won the Republican primary runoff election for Texas attorney general, defeating our friend U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21) in his quest to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Middleton took first place in the initial March 3 primary with 39 percent of the vote, while Roy landed in second place with 32 percent.
Although President Donald Trump declined to endorse in the race, both Middleton and Roy sought to highlight their allegiance to the president. Middleton adopted the moniker “MAGA Mayes,” and Roy pointed to his congressional voting record as best aligned with Trump’s agenda. Paxton also sidestepped an official endorsement, but in a recorded off-the-record comment recently said he would be voting for Middleton.
The Texan reported that, while candidate spending in the runoff election for the attorney general’s office did not reach the levels reported in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, it has included notable spending from the candidates and supporters.
Middleton, one of the most conservative state legislators and an oil and gas executive, put almost $17 million of his own money into the race, while Roy spent nearly $12 million but drew $5 million in donations from GOP megadonor Alex Fairly, $2 million of which landed just last week and boosted Roy’s advertising efforts, reported The Texan.
While President Trump did not make an official endorsement in the contest, Middleton pummeled Roy for saying Trump engaged in “clearly impeachable conduct” on Jan. 6, 2021, and for supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ failed 2024 presidential bid.
The Texas Tribune reported Middleton came from behind to beat Roy’s name ID lead during the primary, thanks in large part to the millions he put into television ads and mailers, promoting his loyalty to the president. While Trump didn’t endorse in the race, Middleton touted the president’s previous positive comments about him, promising to work hand-in-hand with the Trump administration on conservative goals.
Political observers were quick to attribute Chip Roy’s loss to his sometimes-rocky relationship with President Trump. “Roy has had a problem there, and he chose to lean into those conflicts and use that as potentially as a strength,” said Joshua Blank, research director at the Texas Politics Project. “But if recent races are any guide, deviation from the president is not of any value in the Republican primary.”
The campaign proved to be the most expensive attorney general’s race in U.S. history, while Roy outspent Middleton on ads during the runoff, Middleton spent more during the entire cycle.
Far Left Democrat Attorney General nominee Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson has promised to stand with blue state attorneys general in pursuing litigation against the Trump administration. That is a peculiar campaign strategy in a state where President Trump and his policies remain popular, but it is a guaranteed winner with the Hollywood liberals who are expected to donate millions to his campaign.
