Cornyn refuses to back down after primary loss, says Paxton’s nomination could complicate Republican efforts to hold the Senate

Texas – The Texas Republican Senate primary may be over, but the debate surrounding Ken Paxton’s candidacy is far from settled. Just days after losing a bitter runoff battle to the Texas attorney general, longtime Senator John Cornyn publicly pledged to support the Republican ticket in November. That show of party unity came despite months of attacks in which Cornyn argued that Paxton’s legal troubles and political baggage made him a risky choice for Republicans.

Now Cornyn is sending a more complicated message. While he has said he will support Paxton in the general election, he is also standing firmly behind the criticisms that defined much of the primary campaign and warning that Republicans could face a more difficult path to holding the Texas Senate seat because of their nominee.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Cornyn was asked directly whether Paxton’s nomination could put the Republican-held seat at risk. His answer was immediate. “Absolutely.” The former senator did not attempt to soften his position. “I stand by everything I said during the whole campaign,” he added.

Those comments highlight the unusual position Cornyn now finds himself in. After spending months arguing that Paxton’s record could hurt Republicans, he is now expected to support the same candidate as the party attempts to defend a seat that could play a major role in determining control of the Senate.

Cornyn points to turnout collapse

Cornyn also offered his own explanation for why he lost the runoff despite finishing ahead of Paxton in the first round of voting earlier this year. In the March primary, Cornyn received 42 percent of the vote compared to Paxton’s 40.5 percent. Congressman Wesley Hunt captured another 13 percent, forcing a runoff between the top two candidates.

But when Texans returned to the polls for the runoff, turnout dropped dramatically. According to Cornyn, that decline made all the difference. “People didn’t show up. Four hundred thousand votes that I got on March 3 didn’t show up on May 26. That’s a much bigger problem for our country, I believe, when you have such low voter turnout. I’m not sure what to do about it,” he said.

He also expressed concern about how few voters ultimately decided such an important race. “Strange things happen when only 7 percent of registered voters show up for a runoff,” he said. Cornyn suggested that the runoff electorate looked very different from the broader group of voters who participated earlier in the year, creating conditions that favored Paxton.

Trump endorsement remains a factor

One of the biggest developments during the race came when President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton.

The endorsement energized many MAGA voters and became one of the defining moments of the campaign. Political observers widely viewed Trump’s backing as a major boost for Paxton as he sought to defeat a four-term incumbent senator.

Cornyn, however, argued that the endorsement’s impact may have been overstated. While acknowledging that Trump’s supporters were highly motivated, he suggested the bigger issue was who failed to vote rather than who turned out. “I think it wasn’t as big as he thought but certainly his loyalists were the ones that showed up,” he said.

That assessment differs somewhat from the view held by many Republicans, who saw Trump’s intervention as a decisive factor in Paxton’s victory.

The result once again reinforced the president’s enormous influence within the Republican Party, particularly in Texas where his endorsement helped defeat one of the state’s most established political figures.

Republicans unite despite concerns

Despite Cornyn’s warning, Republican leaders are now working to rally behind Paxton as the general election approaches.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has already endorsed him, and Senate Republican leaders have made clear they view the Texas race as critical to maintaining their majority in Washington.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized the importance of the seat shortly after the runoff ended. “We’ve got to pivot and go all in to make sure that we keep Texas red, that he wins, and that we keep a far-left liberal out of the United States Senate. And obviously, that seat is going to be very key to our majority, which will determine the future of this country,” Thune said during an interview last week.

His comments reflect growing concern among Republicans that Democrats could make the race more competitive than expected.

Recent polling has suggested Democratic state Representative James Talarico may be running stronger than many analysts anticipated. Some surveys have even shown him holding a narrow lead over Paxton, adding pressure on Republicans to quickly unify after a divisive primary.

For now, Cornyn appears committed to supporting the Republican ticket while continuing to defend the arguments he made during the campaign. That balancing act underscores a larger challenge facing Texas Republicans: how to unite behind a nominee who remains popular with much of the party’s base while still raising concerns among some longtime Republicans.

With control of the Senate potentially hanging in the balance, the battle for Texas is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races of the 2026 election cycle.