President Donald Trump’s endorsement helped Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeat four-term Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary runoff, but the result has triggered concern among some Republicans about the general election and the cost of defending the seat. Democrats had viewed Paxton as a weaker nominee because of his long record of controversies, and Republicans now worry that his fundraising challenges could make the race much more expensive and competitive than expected.
Paxton has raised $7.6 million so far and had $2.3 million cash on hand as of May 6, according to the article, while Democratic nominee and state Rep. James Talarico has already raised more than $40 million. Talarico’s campaign said it collected $600,000 in the first two hours after Paxton’s runoff victory. Republican strategists said the party may need to sharply increase spending in Texas, a large and costly media market with about 20 outlets, and some estimated GOP groups could end up contributing as much as $100 million to the race.
That level of spending could divert money from other battleground Senate contests as Republicans work to defend their majority. Some donors who supported Cornyn may be reluctant to back Paxton because of his history, including his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on bribery and corruption charges, from which he was later acquitted. Several Republican operatives said the party may need help from multiple outside groups, including MAGA Inc., the Club for Growth, the Senate Leadership Fund, and Paxton’s own aligned super PAC, Lone Star Liberty PAC.
Lone Star Liberty PAC, which spent more than $17 million boosting Paxton in the primary and runoff, said it is already off to a fast start in fundraising for the general election. Senate GOP leaders, including Senate Minority Leader John Thune, are urging donors to get involved and help keep Texas in Republican hands. Still, some Republicans acknowledged that the race could be far more difficult than many assumed, especially if Talarico continues to attract strong national fundraising.
Former Cornyn allies said the senator’s support for the GOP ticket may help unify donors, though some may wait until closer to the fall before committing. Other Texas Republicans argued that Democrats have always forced the party to spend heavily in the state, making the current situation less unusual than it appears.
The article also notes that Paxton’s win has intensified efforts to define Talarico. Republicans quickly began attacking him over past remarks on race, gender, and vegan products, and a pro-Paxton PAC aired an ad highlighting those comments. Talarico responded that some of his past remarks “missed the mark,” but said Paxton is trying to distract voters from his own record of corruption and legal troubles. He framed the race as a fight over affordability, saying Texans are struggling with gas, groceries, insurance, and housing costs.
