Paxton defeats Cornyn in Texas Senate primary runoff, marking another MAGA win

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]tonight in Texas where a Senate Republican primary runoff race is setting the stage for November. Let's get straight on over to Ryan Smith at the live desk with as we mentioned Ryan looks like a good night for the Ken Paxton camp. Libby, that's right.

[00:00:14]Breaking tonight here at the live desk Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton officially moving on to the general election there defeating four-term Senator John Cornyn tonight after a massively expensive and really drawn-out US Senate primary in the state of Texas.

[00:00:30]Here is Paxton just moments ago after that high-stakes race was called.

[00:00:36]To the people in this room, to the people watching at home, and to the people of the great state of Texas, tonight we just made history. President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement in this most powerful is the most powerful force in politics.

[00:00:53]And I'm honored to have his support and I look forward to working with him in the Senate to deliver for Texas.

[00:01:01]Now that race there already one of the most expensive primaries in state history. Total ad buys coming in at just under 130 million dollars. President Trump stepping into the game making that 11th hour endorsement for Ken Paxton accusing John Cornyn of being disloyal.

[00:01:18]The four-term Senator conceding just minutes ago. Listen.

[00:01:22]Fought the good fight.

[00:01:25]I've finished the race.

[00:01:28]And I've kept the faith.

[00:01:31]Over the next seven months my service in the United States of my service in the United States Senate, I intend to continue my work to help make this nation a better place for all Texans and all Americans.

[00:01:45]Thank you very much and may God bless Texas and may he continue to bless the United States of America.

[00:01:54]And already the gloves are off in the runoff to November. James Talarico here responding to the Paxton victory tonight calling him quote the most corrupt politician in America stating he embodies the broken system we're running against. Also with the state of Texas tonight down in the Houston area, Congressman Christian Menefee will wins the Democratic primary runoff against Al Green ending Green's more than two decade career in the US House.

[00:02:22]Remarkable how much can change in just a week as we look at Ken Paxton's Senate run coming with nearly a decade of legal and political baggage. Let's break it all down for you. It started in 2015 when he was indicted on felony securities fraud charges accused of misleading investors in a tech company Paxton pleading not guilty. Then in 2020 several top aides accused him of abusing his office to help a donor allegations that became central to a whistleblower lawsuit. Those claims helped fuel his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House. He was later acquitted by the State Senate in 2024. Paxton reached a pre-trial diversion deal to avoid trial in the securities case agreeing to pay roughly $300,000 in restitution complete community service and take legal ethics classes.

[00:03:17]In 2025 after he completed those requirements prosecutors officially dismissed the felony charges and we will have to wait and see if it weighs on voters' minds comes November. As for Senator John Cornyn his toughest political problem may have been his own record of working across the aisle. His critics on the right have gone after him for working with Democrats on immigration and gun legislation especially the safety bill passed after the Uvalde school shooting. They're also frustrated Cornyn did not support blowing up the Senate filibuster to pass stricter voting rules backed by President Trump. Cornyn says his record is solidly conservative, but Paxton argued Cornyn is too willing to compromise in Washington.