Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is in the race of his life as he tries to win a fifth term this year.
The Texas Republican has been taking many arrows in the back from his two primary opponents, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX). The two rivals suggest Cornyn has lost touch with voters back home because he’s been serving in the Senate for far too long. They are wrong.
Cornyn is 74 years old, but he hasn’t lost his fastball. He’s sharp as ever, accessible to the media, and a respected elder statesman in the nation’s capital. In other words, he’s no Joe Biden.
TIANA LOWE DOESCHER: TRUMP’S ATTACK ON IRAN IS AN ATTACK ON CHINA’S ECONOMIC SUPERIORITY
Texas will hold its primaries on Tuesday, and the Cornyn/Paxton/Hunt race is likely heading to a two-man runoff in late May.
Texans should vote for Cornyn for many reasons. After serving as a district judge, member of the Texas Supreme Court, and Texas attorney general, Cornyn was elected to the Senate in 2002. His track record has been impressive as he climbed up the leadership ladder, serving as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Majority whip. He now sits on various influential panels, including the Finance, Judiciary, Budget, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations committees.
Paxton and Hunt say Cornyn has become a Washington insider, but having that much power in Washington helps constituents in the Lone Star state. Cornyn has been a leader in job creation, fighting crime, and caring for veterans, among other issues.
Perhaps the most compelling reason why Cornyn is the best choice is rooted in simple campaign politics: Cornyn is battle-tested and is, by far, the best general election candidate. Democrats have a three-decade-plus losing streak in Texas statewide races, but that could end this year if Republicans choose the wrong candidate in their primary. Republican leaders and strategists are bracing for a turbulent election in November when the GOP could lose its majorities in the House and the Senate. If Texas goes blue, the Senate might well flip back to the Democrats. That would mean many of President Donald Trump‘s nominees, including a potential Supreme Court pick, would face uphill battles to confirmation.
Unlike Cornyn, the 63-year-old Paxton has a lot of baggage. He was impeached by the Texas House (not filled with Democrats) in a 121-23 roll call on bribery and conspiracy charges to benefit a political donor. The Texas Senate subsequently acquitted him, but the stain is indelible. We won’t cite every Paxton controversy — not because they’re not worth mentioning, but because they are too plentiful.
Democrats are rooting for Paxton to win the primary so they can face a more beatable opponent in the general election.
Hunt, meanwhile, is an Iraq war veteran and has served admirably in the House since 2023. He’s 44 years old and has a bright political future. Could he win in November? Perhaps, but Cornyn is a sure bet. Cornyn has won every general election for the Senate by a comfortable margin, surpassing Trump’s margin last time around.
Despite intense lobbying, Trump has not endorsed anyone in the race. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), the NRSC, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and the National Federation of Independent Business have all gotten behind Cornyn.
OPINION: THE RED STATE OPPORTUNITY ON DATA CENTERS
All three Republican candidates say they are closest to Trump and the Make America Great Again movement. Cornyn has voted with Trump overwhelmingly, though he’s not a rubber stamp. From time to time, Cornyn will respectfully disagree with Trump. That’s a good thing.
This intense primary will likely go on for another three months, but on Tuesday, Texas should vote to keep its state red by backing Cornyn.