GOP lawmaker throws a wrench into contested Senate primary in Texas



The Republican primary for the competitive U.S. Senate seat in Texas just got more crowded, thanks to one GOP lawmaker.

Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas officially launched his Senate campaign on Monday to unseat Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Cornyn has already spent the last several months campaigning against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who launched his own Senate campaign in April.

'There will be a full vetting of his record.'

Although the Republican primary was already poised to be a close race, with a slight edge for Paxton, Hunt's candidacy complicates the political calculus.

"The time is NOW," Hunt said in his campaign announcement. "For Faith. For Family. For Freedom. FOR TEXAS. I’m Wesley Hunt, and I’m running for Senate."

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Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hunt's candidacy has already caused an uproar, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee claiming the congressman has chosen "personal ambition" over holding the narrow Republican majority in the House.

“John Cornyn is a battle-tested conservative who continues to be a leader in delivering President Trump’s agenda in the U.S. Senate, and he’s the best candidate to keep Texas in the Republican Senate majority," NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement. "Now that Wesley has chosen personal ambition over holding President Trump's House majority, there will be a full vetting of his record. Senator Cornyn's conservative record of accomplishment stands tall against Wesley’s."

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Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Notably, early polls show that Hunt's candidacy weakens Cornyn's odds of winning re-election. In a two-way race between Cornyn and Paxton, RealClearPolling averages show the incumbent at a 2.3-point disadvantage. However, in a three-way race between Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt, the senator is facing an average four-point disadvantage.

Although Hunt is polling significantly behind both Paxton and Cornyn, it's likely that he would act as a spoiler candidate for the incumbent, widening Paxton's lead in the race.

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Cornyn leans on outdated Trump endorsement as Paxton pulls ahead in polls



Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas reposted an outdated endorsement from President Donald Trump on Monday as the 2026 Senate primary race ramps up.

Cornyn's campaign account posted the Trump endorsement despite it being from 2020, claiming that Cornyn votes with the president "99% of the time" and vows to "fight for Texas with the President." At the same time, early polling shows Cornyn trailing primary challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

A representative for Cornyn did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

Even still, Cornyn may not be able to survive on Trump's coattails.

Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Ever since Paxton entered the primary race, Cornyn's campaign has focused on tethering the senator to Trump. As of this writing, the last dozen posts on his campaign account have mentioned Trump, despite the fact that the president has yet to make an endorsement in the primary.

Even still, Cornyn may not be able to survive on Trump's coattails. Paxton is currently polling 16 points ahead of Cornyn, according to a new poll from the Senate Leadership Fund published Monday. The same poll shows Paxton 10 points ahead in a three-way race with Cornyn and Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas, who is reportedly considering a 2026 Senate run.

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

That being said, the same poll showed that Cornyn may be a more viable candidate than Paxton in the general election against former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred of Texas, who is considering another Senate run.

Cornyn is polling just one point ahead of Allred, according to the SLF poll, while Paxton is polling six points behind the former Democratic lawmaker. Allred previously attempted to unseat Republican Rep. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2024, although he lost by nearly nine points.

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John Rich Makes Endorsement In Texas Republican Senate Primary

'I fully support @KenPaxtonTX as the next US Senator'

Exclusive: Hundreds of conservative Texans rally behind Paxton's effort to primary Cornyn



Over 250 conservative leaders across Texas are backing Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), Blaze News first learned.

Texan leaders, lawmakers, and grassroots activists alike rallied behind Paxton as he prepares to primary Cornyn, who he says is relying too much on the establishment. Cornyn has held the Senate seat since 2002 and will be up for re-election in 2026.

'He has an excellent record fighting for Texans and their rights, which is needed now more than ever.'

"I'm incredibly grateful to have the support of over 250 conservative leaders from across our great state," Paxton told Blaze News. "While John Cornyn is relying on the Washington establishment to save him, I'm proud that my campaign is powered by the grassroots and the people of Texas."

Paxton characterized Cornyn as a career politician who has previously come into conflict with President Donald Trump's priorities.

"Our momentum grows every single day because there are millions of patriots who know what I know: It's time for a change," Paxton told Blaze News. "John Cornyn has been in Washington for over two decades, and in that time all he's done is work with Joe Biden to pass radical gun control, attack President Trump, and call the border wall 'naive.'"

"He's failed our state," Paxton continued, "and I'm running to ensure that Cornyn is replaced by a strong conservative warrior who will always stand with President Trump."

Political allies echoed Paxton, saying he is a necessary change agent for Washington, D.C.

"Paxton is the perfect person to replace the RINO that is John Cornyn," BlazeTV contributor and Paxton endorser Matthew Mardsen told Blaze News. "He has an excellent record fighting for Texans and their rights, which is needed now more than ever. The contrast can't be starker."

"For far too long, John Cornyn has sold Texans out and voted against the will of his constituents," Sara Gonzales, host of BlazeTV's "Sara Gonzales Unfiltered," told Blaze News. "He seems far more interested in funding forever wars than helping his own citizens. Frankly, he is an embarrassment to the state of Texas."

"Attorney General Paxton has a long track record of fighting for Texans, even when the battle is tough, and even when the establishment is after him," Gonzales added. "At times, he’s been the only statewide elected official willing to do what’s right. I look forward to Paxton giving Texans real representation in the United States Senate."

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Republican holdouts leave Mike Johnson's speakership hanging in the balance



Speaker Mike Johnson's re-election is set to take place Friday, but he may not have enough support within the Republican conference to secure another term.

Although Johnson has obtained the support of President-elect Donald Trump, several Republican lawmakers are holding out on endorsing the speaker. Republicans hold an even narrower four-seat majority this Congress, giving Johnson very little wiggle room.

'Johnson's issue is that his two outspoken holdouts currently are also the two people left who endorsed Trump's opponent in the primary, so I don't see them going back in the Johnson camp with just pressure from Trump.'

Republicans hold 219 seats while Democrats hold 215. Assuming the two parties vote in lock-step, Johnson can afford only one Republican "no" vote, which has already been claimed by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. If Johnson receives two "no" votes, his support will be tied at 217 votes in favor and 217 votes against his speakership.

"I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan," Massie said. "We’ve seen Johnson partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget."

"Mike Johnson is the next Paul Ryan," Massie said. "On January 3rd, 2025, I won’t be voting for Mike Johnson. I hope my colleague will join me because history will not give America another 'do-over.'"

US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and US Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) walk to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson's (R-La.) office at the US Capitol on April 17, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

There is some leeway for Johnson if some Republican defectors vote "present" rather than joining forces with Democrats to strike down his speakership. As of this writing, several Republican lawmakers have signaled that they are undecided on whether they would support Johnson.

"The reason I am still undecided on the Speaker vote (as opposed to a hard no) is it's not ALL the fault of Speaker Johnson & my desire is to give him grace & Trump room to deliver on a strong agenda for which we were elected," Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said. "But something MUST change."

Roy primarily cited the most recent spending fight that took place right before Christmas in which Johnson first introduced a 1,547-page funding bill. The original bill was struck down by GOP defectors as well as Trump's political allies before the House even had the opportunity to vote for it. Eventually, a slimmer 116-page continuing resolution was introduced, narrowly averting a Christmas shutdown.

Congress' annual Christmas tradition of jamming through a Christmas omnibus all "could have been avoided with any serious planning & communication," Roy said, "but instead coordinated efforts were undertaken to vilify those (half NOT freedom caucus) who honored their promise to constituents not to do so."

With Massie's "no" vote and Roy's potential holdout, Johnson's speakership would be tanked on Friday. Notably, both Massie and Roy supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary, signaling they are less influenced by Trump's endorsement of Johnson than other lawmakers are.

"I don't see how Johnson gets 218 without major commitments to conservatives at this point," a House Republican aide told Blaze News. "Johnson's issue is that his two outspoken holdouts currently are also the two people left who endorsed Trump's opponent in the primary, so I don't see them going back in the Johnson camp with just pressure from Trump. Gonna need more than that at this point."

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump listens as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks during a press conference at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on April 12, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Although Roy and Massie have been the most outspoken about Johnson's speakership, several other Republicans have expressed hesitancy.

"I'm going to talk to Mike and raise any concerns I have," Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told Blaze News. "As of right now I'm still undecided."

Republican Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas also told Blaze News that he "has no comment on the Speaker's race at this time." Following the funding debacle in December, Cloud signaled that he would be open to "personnel changes" to ensure Trump's agenda is delivered in the 119th Congress.

"The chaos of this past week was both predictable and avoidable," Cloud said. "Weeks ago, I and others warned of these pinch points and urged leadership to involve members in crafting solutions. Unfortunately, we were ignored and locked out of the process. It wasn’t the rank-and-file members who failed this week—it was a failure of leadership that brought us here."

"Come January, we will need to revisit how Congress operates to ensure it is structured to deliver President Trump’s MAGA agenda," Cloud continued. "Whether that requires personnel changes, process reforms, or both will be a critical discussion we must have."

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Will conservatives finally learn to love red-state primaries?



The last thing anyone wants is to focus on another election. But to break the cycle of electing red-state RINOs, we need to start recruiting for the 2026 midterms soon.

Conservative supporters of President Trump are frustrated that most Republican senators from deep red states backed John Thune (S.D.) or John Cornyn (Texas) for Senate majority leader on Wednesday. They have a right to be disappointed, as these senators squandered a historic mandate by choosing a younger version of Mitch McConnell’s worldview to lead the Senate. But they should also look in the mirror.

Ten years into the MAGA movement, there’s no excuse not to have DeSantis-level leaders in states Trump won by a landslide.

I personally opposed nearly every current Senate RINO in red-state primaries for years, while others ignored the primaries. This year, red-state RINOs like Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota easily won renomination with support from Trump and his movement. I featured some of their primary challengers on my show multiple times, but the major names in the industry largely overlooked them. Now, Ukraine supporters like Wicker, who backed Thune for majority leader, will chair powerful committees. In Wicker’s case, he’ll head the Armed Services Committee.

The majority leader vote confirms that we did ourselves no favors by nominating candidates like Tim Sheehy from Montana and Jim Justice from West Virginia when we had the chance to rally Trump behind better candidates. Bernie Moreno from Ohio was the only freshman who supported Rick Scott, likely due to the influence of fellow Ohioan JD Vance.

This time must be different. As we look ahead to 2026, we have a chance to correct past mistakes and activate our base in the primaries. Here’s a list of Senate seats from reliable red states that are in cycle.

Nineteen Republican senators are up for re-election from solid red states. North Carolina is the only state that might be competitive in a tough year, but Republicans have won there recently. All incumbents are expected to run again, except Mitch McConnell, who will likely retire. But how many of these incumbents deserve renomination in the primary? What have they done for us?

Only a few supported Rick Scott for majority leader. At best, I see five of the 19 as potentially decent, although none stand out as superstars. But Shelley Moore Capito, John Cornyn, Mike Rounds, Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis, Pete Ricketts, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Bill Cassidy, Joni Ernst, James Risch, and Dan Sullivan? Seriously? Is this the best we can get from solid red states?

Democrats, meanwhile, will need to defend swing-state senators who Republicans are likely to target in states such as Georgia, Michigan, and possibly New Hampshire. Republicans will also need to defend a seat in Maine. But the majority of competitive races should happen in primaries in deep red states, and there are plenty of those this cycle. Shouldn’t we start strategizing for those states right now?

Now, let’s look at the race for governor. Most red-state governorships are up for re-election in 2026. Why do we only have one DeSantis? If he could turn Florida to the right while governing as one of the most conservative executives in recent memory, why can’t we have leaders like him in even more conservative, rural red states? The 2026 midterms offer a rare opportunity, with several open seats in play. Here’s a list of red states with governor’s elections on the ballot:

If we exclude Georgia, 14 reliably Republican states will hold governor’s elections, many with open seats. Besides Kim Reynolds of Iowa and Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, no one else is close to DeSantis’ level. DeSantis himself is term-limited in Florida. Conservatives have a golden opportunity to flip open seats in Alabama, Alaska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Ten years into the MAGA movement, there’s no excuse not to have DeSantis-level leaders in states Trump won by a landslide. We also need to find a successor for DeSantis, challenge RINO Brad Little if he runs for a third term in Idaho, and consider giving Greg Abbott a serious challenge if he confirms his bid for a third term in Texas.

It’s not all bad news. Excitement and focus on politics have surged after Trump’s landmark victory. The race for Senate majority leader captured strong attention. Now, we must channel that enthusiasm into primaries, special elections, off-year elections, and down-ballot races. This time, it must be different.

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