GOP division intensifies over Cornyn's Senate post as Trump faces mounting pressure to take a stance
Unleashing a Primetime Clash in Texas
A looming primary in Texas is causing escalating tension amongst Republicans, with Senator John Cornyn, a long-standing incumbent, facing a potential challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Representative Wesley Hunt. And they're desperate for Donald Trump to weigh in and settle this escalating feud before it wreaks havoc in the 2022 midterms.
Behind the scenes, Senate GOP leaders have personally pleaded with Trump to endorse Cornyn, who has been representing Texas for more than two decades and fell narrowly short of securing the role of Senate majority leader last fall. However, Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, is sending clear signals that he's ready to jump into the race, winning favor with MAGA loyalists who want Trump to back the controversial firebrand.
Adding to Cornyn's troubles, Hunt is reportedly considering entering the GOP primary, asserting that he's the only one who can win both a primary and a general election. This growing conundrum has sparked a significant fear: a Texas Senate GOP primary could cost the party a staggering $100 million, diverting crucial funds from other critical battlegrounds. Plus, a weakened GOP nominee could provide an opening for Democrats in a seemingly long-shot pickup opportunity, as former Rep. Colin Allred considers another Senate run.
Top Hill Republicans are hopeful that Trump can help clear the field with a Cornyn endorsement. Sen. John Thune confirmed to CNN that he's spoken to Trump about it recently. "I'm hoping that in the end, he can," Thune said. "Obviously we're supporting Sen. Cornyn. He's done a great job for Texas and for the country. And we need him back."
Exposing a GOP Divide
This battle places Trump at the heart of a simmering feud between the party's insurgent and establishment wings, forcing him to pick sides and risk angering some of his most fierce supporters. Cornyn, a longtime fixture in Texas politics with deep business and donor ties, has attempted to align himself closely with the president, posting a photo of himself reading "The Art of the Deal" on social media and releasing a launch video featuring footage of Trump praising him in 2019.
In an interview, Cornyn told CNN he's ready for a primary fight but would not comment on Paxton or Hunt until they officially enter the race. He believes Trump will make an endorsement when he's ready and praised the president's backing as valuable in the race.
However, Paxton and Hunt have tried to create some distance from Cornyn and Trump. In the sharpest indication of his intentions to run against Cornyn, Hunt argued the senior senator was prepared to "move on" from Trump after the 2020 elections. "Now, he's scrambling to rewrite history – hoping voters will forget he ever turned his back on the very movement that built our momentum and delivered the majority for Republicans, specifically the Senate," Hunt said.
Behind the scenes, several conservatives have been urging Trump's political team to abandon Cornyn. They argue that his recent votes to certify Joe Biden's election win and partnering with Democrats to pass a major gun safety bill after the Uvalde school massacre in 2022 have estranged him from the base. "There are high-level people who are behind Paxton in a way they're generally not in primary challenges," said one Senate GOP operative.
However, concern exists over Paxton as a general election candidate, given his past legal troubles. After previously criticizing Trump over the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Cornyn worked to rebuild his ties with the president, appearing with him at a campaign event in Nevada and waiting on the tarmac when Trump arrived in Austin for a podcast interview with Joe Rogan.
Democrats, meanwhile, are eager for a chance to run against Paxton, who would be a polarizing figure in Texas. Allred, a former congressman who lost to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz in 2020, is reportedly considering another run and could give Democrats their best shot at the seat since 1994. It remains to be seen who, if anyone, can navigate the intricate web of Texas politics and emerge victorious.
- With the Texas primary election stirring up tension among Republicans, Senator John Cornyn, undoubtedly, is eager for Donald Trump's endorsement, as he jumps into the race, Paxton, and Hunt attempt to win favor from MAGA loyalists.
- Ready to challenge the established political landscape, Texas Representative Wesley Hunt takes a jab at Senator John Cornyn, claiming he's preparing to move on from Trump after the 2020 elections, potentially overperforming in the GOP primary if Trump doesn't endorse Cornyn.
- As Trump faces pressure to take sides in this simmering feud between the party's insurgent and establishment wings, concern about a potential Paxton nomination remains, given his past legal troubles and mixed responses to important issues that MAGA supporters care about deeply.
