Ken Paxton, the scandal-ridden Texas attorney general backed by Donald Trump, has defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff. The result signals the former president's enduring influence in the deeply conservative state.
After the race was called, Cornyn said he would support the Republican ticket in the midterms. Paxton will now face Democratic state legislator James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, in the general election.
Paxton carries significant political baggage. He was impeached in 2023 on corruption allegations but later acquitted in a trial where his wife, a state senator, was barred from voting. He also faced felony securities fraud charges, which were dismissed after a pre-trial diversion agreement. Last year, his wife filed for divorce on biblical grounds, citing adultery.
Despite these scandals, Paxton's victory underscores Trump's grip on Texas Republicans. Talarico, though facing long odds, has gained popularity through a message of peace and populism. Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, a former Democratic Senate candidate, suggested that if Paxton is the Republican candidate, Talarico has a chance.
