WATCH: Embattled GOP senator warns red state ‘at risk’ of historic Dem victory as voters head to polls
Texas Senate Runoff Sets Stage for Possible Democratic Upset
By Maine News Now Staff
February 26, 2024
The state of Texas is poised for a historic showdown that could shift the balance of power in the United States Senate. On Tuesday night, voters will decide whether incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn or his challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, will become the Republican nominee for a Senate seat that has been held by the party for decades.
The runoff follows a bruising primary in which Cornyn and Paxton split the conservative vote. Neither candidate reached the 50‑percent threshold, forcing a runoff on Tuesday, the night of which will also determine the future of a seat that could swing the Senate in favor of the Democrats if the GOP loses.
Cornyn’s Concerns About Paxton and the General Election
Senator Cornyn, a seasoned legislator who has served Texas in the U.S. Senate since 2002, has warned that the state’s Republican advantage could evaporate if Paxton secures the nomination. “I think all of that is at risk, depending on how this primary runoff turns out,” Cornyn told Fox News Digital. “Ken Paxton’s flaws and the baggage he brings to the general election are going to be exploited up to the fullest by James Talarico and by Democrats.”
He added that Paxton’s record of legal troubles and personal scandals could open a window for Democratic gains. “There will be a tsunami of money coming into the state from outside,” Cornyn said. “It’s not only that Senate seat; it’s also all the down‑ballot races, state legislative races, local races, like the judges and the like.”
Cornyn highlighted the long streak of Republican dominance in Texas, noting that the state has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. “If Paxton wins, we risk not only the Senate seat but also a wave of Democrats in other offices,” he said. “President Trump is not running, so the Senate race will be at the top, and I believe I will be in a better position to help provide a significant margin, a winning margin, not only in my case but also to help everybody down ballot.”
Paxton’s Trump Endorsement and Controversies
The attorney general, who has been a national fixture for more than a decade, is backed by former President Donald Trump. In a social‑media post, Trump called Paxton “a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.” Trump also said that Cornyn was a “good man” but criticized him for late support during the 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
Paxton has used the opportunity to criticize Cornyn’s perceived distance from Trump’s agenda. “John Cornyn fought Trump on the border. And you can go back over about a decade and see that he was not for the border wall,” Paxton said in a recent interview. “I fought the president’s reelection. I fought him in 2024, said his time had passed, and I fought him in 2016. So this is not a pro‑Trump guy.”
Cornyn, meanwhile, has underscored his support for the president. “President Trump has called me a friend and a good man,” he said. “We’ve worked with him closely for both terms of office.”
Talarico’s Fund‑raising Momentum
The stakes are amplified by Democrat State Rep. James Talarico, a rising star who could take the Senate seat if the Republican nominee falters. Talarico raised $27 million in the first quarter of 2024, a haul that puts him among the most well‑funded challengers in the country. Cornyn warned that, “If Paxton wins, there will be a tsunami of money coming into the state from outside.”
Talarico’s campaign manager has said the money is aimed at bolstering the state’s Democratic base, which has grown in
