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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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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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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'Progressive Christian' Democrat joins Senate race to unseat John Cornyn



The race for John Cornyn's Senate seat is becoming more crowded as another Democrat announced his bid for the seat on Tuesday.

Texas Representative James Talarico, a self-described "progressive Christian," announced on Tuesday that he will be throwing his hat in the ring to challenge incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. Talarico's bid is the most recent challenge in an already crowded field of Senate hopefuls.

'We're the underdogs in this fight. We're going up against a rigged system and a lot of money.'

"I get the sense that there is a deep hunger across the political spectrum for a fundamentally different kind of politics," Talarico said in an interview ahead of his announcement, according to the AP. "It's been 10 years now of Trumpian politics, politics as a blood sport, ... and there is a hunger 10 years later for a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect."

Talarico gained increased attention on social media when he sat down with Joe Rogan on "The Joe Rogan Experience" on July 18.

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"Billionaires have taken over Texas and taken over America — but together, we can take power back for working people," Talarico said in a Tuesday morning X post.

In a request for campaign funding, Talarico delivered a similar message about punching upward in the race: "We're the underdogs in this fight. We're going up against a rigged system and a lot of money. Big Money is powerful, but it's nothing compared to People Power."

Talarico was also a leading figure in the Texas redistricting fight during July and August. Democrats fled the state in an attempt to delay the vote on the redistricting motion, which was ultimately passed in late August.

Senator John Cornyn will be running for a fifth term in the Senate. Democrats see a path to victory if Attorney General Ken Paxton beats Cornyn in the March primary.

Talarico joins a crowded field of Democrat candidates, including former NFL player Colin Allred and former astronaut Terry Virts. Beto O'Rourke has also reportedly not ruled out joining the race.

Talarico will reportedly launch his campaign with an event on Tuesday in his hometown of Round Rock, Texas, which is north of Austin.

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