Texas Attorney General Paxton launches Senate bid to replace Cornyn

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday night announced a bid for the Senate in 2026, officially declaring a challenge to Republican Sen. John Cornyn. 

Paxton attempted to paint himself as a candidate who was fighting for President Donald Trump's "agenda" and appeared to cast Cornyn as a member of Washington, D.C.'s "establishment." 

“It’s definitely time for a change in Texas,” Paxton told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. “We have another great U.S. senator in Ted Cruz. And it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump.”

Cornyn's campaign rejected the characterization that the senator was not pro-Trump, stating that the senator has voted with Trump's priorities at a greater rate than more than 95% of current senators.

"Democrats are trying to destroy President Trump, and he and Texas need a battle-tested conservative who knows how to protect his agenda in the Senate and won't be outsmarted by Chuck Schumer," Cornyn's campaign said. "This will be a spirited campaign and we assure Texans they will have a real choice when this race is over."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.