US Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is directing his extensive fundraising efforts toward competitive Senate races in states like New Hampshire, Michigan, and Alaska, rather than contributing to the Texas Senate race involving Ken Paxton. This decision, made public last week, highlights a strategic shift for the senator, who is known for raising hundreds of millions of dollars for fellow Senate Republicans.
Senator Cornyn explained that Texas can be a financial black hole for campaign cash, suggesting that his contributions would have a greater impact in other closely contested states. He indicated that it is now up to Mr. Paxton and his supporters to broaden their coalition, including engaging with donors. A person close to Mr. Paxton, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that the attorney general has actively pursued Senator Cornyn’s major donors.
Despite his fundraising focus elsewhere, Senator Cornyn affirmed his commitment to the Republican Party and its goal of maintaining control of the Senate. He expressed opposition to the policies of Democrat James Talarico, but his assessment of Mr. Paxton, whom he criticized during the primary, remains largely unchanged. Senator Cornyn described Mr. Paxton as a poor and lazy campaigner who struggles to raise money and present a compelling case for his election, making the race more difficult than necessary.
Mr. Paxton did not respond to a request for comment regarding Senator Cornyn’s position. Senator Cornyn had previously voiced concerns during the primary that Mr. Paxton’s nomination could jeopardize the long-standing Republican dominance in Texas politics. These warnings were not heeded by primary runoff voters, who ultimately selected Mr. Paxton as their nominee by a significant margin.
With his own reelection pressures now absent, Senator Cornyn has been candid about his views, stating that the current election is unfortunately shaping up to be close and potentially disastrous. Polling conducted this summer has shown a tight contest between Mr. Paxton and Mr. Talarico, with several surveys indicating Mr. Talarico ahead, albeit within the margin of error. This trend is notable given that a Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas in over 30 years.
Mr. Paxton secured the nomination in March despite being outspent by Senator Cornyn and his allies. The fundraising disparity with Mr. Talarico is even more pronounced, with the Democrat raising $30 million in the second quarter of 2026 compared to Mr. Paxton’s $9 million. Mr. Talarico has also outspent Mr. Paxton in direct advertising by a factor of nearly 200-to-1.
Many of Senator Cornyn’s key donors, who are long-time contributors in Texas Republican circles, have not yet contributed to the Senate race since the runoff. Senator Cornyn suggested that the president, whose main super PAC holds over $400 million, could financially support Mr. Paxton’s campaign if desired. The president was in Houston on Thursday to fundraise for Mr. Paxton as part of a Republican National Committee event.
Resources are beginning to flow to Mr. Paxton’s campaign. Lone Star Liberty PAC, the primary super PAC supporting him, initiated its first general election broadcast ad buy this week, and other Republican groups have started spending on his behalf, with more activity anticipated in September. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which supported Senator Cornyn during the primary before backing Mr. Paxton, expressed confidence in their candidate’s fundraising and campaign efforts. A regional press secretary for the NRSC stated that Mr. Paxton is raising record-breaking resources, building significant grassroots support, and collaborating with the president to execute a winning campaign plan to keep Texas Republican and prevent Mr. Talarico from reaching the US Senate.
The primary contest between Senator Cornyn and Mr. Paxton was both contentious and costly. While Senator Cornyn narrowly led in the initial March contest, Mr. Paxton surged ahead in May with a smaller electorate, winning by 28 percentage points. A key challenge for Mr. Paxton during the general election is to unify the party after a fractious primary that saw millions of dollars spent on attacks against him.
Senator Cornyn still received over 500,000 votes in the runoff. Mr. Paxton adopted a conciliatory tone on election night, thanking the senator for his service and expressing his desire to earn the support of Senator Cornyn’s voters and unite the party. In June, Mr. Paxton conveyed to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick on his podcast that he would welcome Senator Cornyn’s assistance and would have voted for Senator Cornyn multiple times over Mr. Talarico.
However, Senator Cornyn is concerned that there has been insufficient outreach to what he terms mainstream traditional Republicans in Texas. A person close to Mr. Paxton indicated that the attorney general has attempted to contact Senator Cornyn multiple times without a response. By endorsing Mr. Paxton over Senator Cornyn, the president effectively sidelined an experienced Senate operator with seven months remaining in his term, leading to several repercussions for the administration in the subsequent three months.
Senator Cornyn has utilized his vote to compel the administration to commit funding for a global HIV prevention program, accelerate border reimbursement, and, notably, secure written modifications to a controversial anti-weaponization fund at the Department of Justice before voting to advance Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination. In August, the senator also spoke out against the arrival of machinery in Big Bend National Park, requesting that the Department of Homeland Security halt construction until it had met with local stakeholders, a request that was ultimately honored.
The Senate Republican caucus will reconvene in Washington in September with the aim of protecting vulnerable incumbents amidst tensions with an administration that Senator Cornyn described as potentially very vindictive. Free from political repercussions, Senator Cornyn stated he will continue to evaluate issues on a case-by-case basis, asserting that he does not intend to be a thorn in the administration’s side merely for the sake of it, but will make decisions based on the merits of each issue, as the president has relieved him of political concerns and considerations.
