Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to supporters at a campaign event in McKinney, Texas, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a … more >

Trump-endorsed Paxton knocks out veteran senator Cornyn in heated Texas Senate runoff

by · The Washington Times

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton easily defeated four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn Tuesday in a vicious and expensive runoff election punctuated by a last-minute endorsement from President Trump.

Mr. Paxton, a Trump loyalist and “MAGA warrior,” was already favored to prevail over Mr. Cornyn when Mr. Trump supercharged his chances of victory by endorsing him on May 19.

With 48% of the vote counted, Mr. Paxton had a 25-point edge in the two-man runoff, leading the incumbent by 62.5% to 37.5%.

Multiple news organizations called the race just minutes after the last polls closed in the state just after 9 p.m. EDT.

Mr. Paxton will now face off in November against Democrat James Talarico, a state lawmaker, for the U.S. Senate seat that Mr. Cornyn has occupied since 2002.

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Susan Ferrechio

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Seth McLaughlin

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