Cornyn is unfazed by the potential primary challenge from Ken Paxton

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said Friday that he sleeps “very well at night” despite a possible 2026 primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The senior senator from the Lone Star State appeared Friday on a local television program, on which he was asked about the prospect of facing Paxton in the next Republican Senate primary in Texas. Cornyn expressed little concern, citing his past primary challenges, which he said made him a stronger candidate during the general election.

“My last election, I had a primary,” Cornyn said. “I had several primary opponents, and I got 76% of the vote.”

Cornyn, 72, also dismissed Paxton’s possible Senate bid as “speculative,” as the attorney general has only hinted at a 2026 run to unseat the four-term senator.

In September 2023, media personality Tucker Carlson interviewed Paxton shortly after the latter was acquitted by the state Senate on 20 articles of impeachment. The attorney general lambasted Cornyn for not speaking up about the influx of illegal immigrants at the southern border, saying “he’s been in Washington too long” and that he “can’t think of a single thing he’s accomplished for our state,” prompting the former Fox News host to ask, “Why don’t you run against him?”

“Hey, look, everything’s on the table for me,” Paxton said. “Now that I’ve been through this and seen how guys like John Cornyn have represented the state of Texas and not represented us, I think it’s time somebody needs to step up and run against this guy.”

Paxton and Cornyn have exchanged jabs online several times, with the former’s alleged high crimes and misdemeanors being a recent point of contention.

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In Cornyn’s four Senate primary elections, he has garnered no fewer than 59% of votes. He faced his toughest general election test in 2020, when he defeated Democrat MJ Hegar with 53.5% of the vote. For the final two years of his fourth term, he is vying to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as the Senate GOP leader.

Before the 2026 Republican Senate primary in Texas can heat up, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is looking to defend the state’s other seat in the upper chamber against Rep. Collin Allred (D-TX) in 2024. The junior senator is looking to win a third term after narrowly defeating then-Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat, in 2018.