“I will do some nice, big, beautiful rallies for Ken. John Cornyn ran a strong and powerful race but, more importantly, had a truly great career.
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Ken Paxton Defeats Sen. John Cornyn in Texas GOP Primary Runoff
May 26, 2026
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton crushed four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn 64%-36% in the May 26, 2026 Republican primary runoff — the widest primary defeat of a sitting U.S. senator in nearly five decades. Trump had endorsed Paxton one week before the vote, overriding his own Senate leadership's backing of Cornyn. Senate Majority Leader Thune immediately called on Republicans to "pivot" to supporting Paxton, while Democrat James Talarico, who will face Paxton in November, declared him "the most corrupt politician in America."
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“John Cornyn, I believe, had been a great partner for us in the Senate, and had done a great job for Texas and for our country. But you know, the voters, Republican voters in Texas spoke last night. Ken Paxton is our nominee heading into November, and we've got to pivot and go all-in to make sure that we keep Texas red.
“Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in America. He embodies the broken system we're running against.
“Those who show up decide for those who do not. I've said throughout this race that I trust the voters of Texas, and they made their decision, and I must respect it.