Q&A: Cornyn, Paxton talk faith, EPIC City and who can best defeat Talarico
Candidates make appeals to Evangelical voters in primary runoff
As Texas voters head into one of the nation’s most closely watched U.S. Senate primary runoffs, Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are appealing to Evangelicals, a voting bloc that could determine who will square off against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November.
Early voting began Monday and runs through May 22 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Election Day on May 26 being the last day voters can cast their ballots in the runoff election.
The winner will face off against Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Senate, in the general election. (You can read more about Talarico here, here and here.)
Many political pundits have cast the Republican race as a contest between the conservative establishment, many of whom support the four-term senator, and populist conservatives who lean toward Paxton.
The race is also exposing divisions within churches, with some high-profile pastors voicing their support for Cornyn (read here and here) as their congregations remain divided, some even conflicted, on who to support.
With each candidate relying on strong Evangelical turnout, The Christian Post asked several questions of the two candidates to assist voters before they cast their ballots. These questions range from faith in politics to their views on H-1B visas and the controversial EPIC City Muslim-majority development that has been revamped as The Meadow.
Cornyn is a longtime Texas Republican who has served in Congress since 2002. Before joining the Senate, Cornyn served as Texas attorney general and previously sat on the Texas Supreme Court. Known as a traditional conservative with deep ties to the Republican establishment, Cornyn has focused on issues such as border security, national defense and judicial appointments during his Senate career.
Here are Cornyn's responses to The Christian Post's questions about faith and public life:
What role, if any, should faith play in the work of an elected official?
My Christian faith is something that I carry with me in my daily life. It is an integral part of who I am, and it helps guide me when making important decisions that impact the lives of Texans.
How has your faith shaped your priorities in this Senate race?
The Judeo-Christian values on which America was founded are what I base my decisions and my campaign on. This race is also about character, and I know that Texans still believe that character matters.
Do you consider this particular Senate race to have Christianity as one of the deciding issues?
It will play a central role in this race, ultimately because the Democrat nominee masquerades as a Christian. The more he talks, the more he espouses strange ideas that are not found in any biblical texts I have ever read. It is becoming clear to more and more Texans that James Talarico twists scripture to fit his far-left political agenda. From calling God non-binary to citing false gospels, many pastors I talk to believe he is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and my campaign will call that out every step of the way to November, should I be the nominee for the Republican Party, which I expect to be.
What message do you want to share with Christian Post readers, most of whom identify as Christian?
Keep the faith. Our country has gone through difficult times, but with President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, we are getting America back on track to a nation we can all be proud of — that is, “One Nation, Under God,” just as the Founding Fathers intended.
How does your faith inform your approach to foreign policy, including questions involving Iran?
War is never preferred. However, we also must do what is necessary to protect our countrymen as well as our friends and allies. Israel has been our close friend and ally since the country’s founding in 1948, and it is the right course of action to defend the only democracy in the Middle East.
Do you believe the Christian just war theory has relevance for U.S. foreign policy today? Why or why not?
No country should get into conflict out of belligerence, but it must do so for rightly ordered reasons. I applaud President Trump’s courage with respect to the actions he has taken against Iran. This is a brutal, radical Islamic regime that has American blood on its hands. It constantly threatens our allies in the region and posed a potential nuclear threat to Europe and the United States.
Cornyn's response to questions pertaining to Senate governance and the Republican Party:
What is your position on the filibuster?
I am one of the first cosponsors of the SAVE America Act and support whatever changes to Senate rules we need to make to get this to the President’s desk. It is essential that we secure our elections.
Would you keep current Senate rules on filibusters and informal holds? If not, what would you change?
I am willing to do what is necessary with Senate rules to pass the SAVE America Act, as I outlined in this op-ed I wrote in the New York Post.
What do you see as the biggest divide inside today’s Republican Party?
Our party seems to have an influencer problem. Some of the loudest voices are stoking division and wildly speculative, unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. It needs to stop, and we need to get back to fighting alongside one another against our common opponent: Democrats, whose policies are destructive to the country.
If you lose the runoff, will you support the Republican nominee in the general election?
I have spent decades building the Republican Party in Texas, and I will be supporting the GOP ticket no matter what, but I believe I will be the Republican nominee. It is clear that I give our party the best chance to defeat charlatan James Talarico in November, and I intend to do just that.
Cornyn's response to questions about the federal deficit, H-1B visas and EPIC City:
What specific steps would you support to reduce the federal deficit?
Over the course of my career, I have backed countless efforts to rein in the federal deficit. I have supported a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, and was the chief vote counter for President Trump’s historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered taxes for hardworking Texas families and stimulated economic growth. A dynamic, high-functioning economy is ultimately our best way to combat the federal deficit. I was also proud to vote in favor of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which reduces the deficit by $400 billion.
Many Texans have raised concerns about the overuse of H-1B visas. Can you explain your position and the nuances you want Texas voters to know about the process? Also, what is your position on H-1B visas, and where do you think Texas employers have legitimate workforce needs, if any?
I share the concerns Texans have on H-1B visas, and we should always prioritize American citizens first and foremost. We also need to take into account the needs of our market to ensure we are competitive and that companies have the tools necessary to grow. We must strike the right balance, and I am supportive of how the Trump administration has handled this issue.
EPIC city, now called The Meadow, has raised concerns and sparked debate among Texans. Some are concerned about having a Muslim-centric development, while Muslim residents are asking why it’s facing opposition. What are your views about this development, in light of its legality and concerns about government infringement on religious freedom?
The development is unconstitutional, as you cannot discriminate on where someone can live based on their religion. I have been vocal in my opposition to EPIC City and sent a letter to the Department of Justice that triggered their opening an investigation into its origins and whether Sharia Law was planned to be practiced there. I am also concerned that my opponent, Ken Paxton, talks a big game on investigating EPIC City, but has an even bigger conflict of interest that will impact his judgment. Paxton’s own personal lawyer also represents EPIC City, which he has admitted is a conflict of interest.
What concerns you most about your Republican opponent?
His character is unbecoming of an elected official. He has been plagued by scandals of his own making for the entire time he has been attorney general, from cheating on his wife to dealings with shady donors, an unexplained 7,000% wealth increase since he began serving in office, to his being impeached by a Republican legislature. His conduct has been an embarrassment to Texas — especially for someone who claims to be a Christian.
What question do you wish voters were asking in this race that they're not asking enough?
Who is the best candidate able to defeat the Democrats in November? We can discuss different policies and contrast the two candidates — but at the end of the day, defeating James Talarico in November is paramount. We cannot have a blue U.S. Senate seat in Texas, and I believe I am the best candidate to not only defeat Talarico but also to lift our downballot candidates against Democrat challengers.
The Christian Post posed the same questions to Ken Paxton, who provided more generalized answers rather than answering each question directly:
Paxton has served as Texas attorney general since 2015. Before becoming attorney general, he represented Texas in both the state House and Senate. Known for his strong conservative positions, he has become a prominent figure among grassroots Republicans for his legal challenges against federal policies on immigration, abortion and religious liberty.
Paxton's response to questions about his faith in public life and his Christianity has influenced his career:
My faith and Christian values are the foundation of not only my public service, but they’re also the foundation of every aspect of my life. My faith shapes how I view right and wrong, justice, and my responsibility to the people I serve.
Throughout my career, I’ve fought to protect religious liberty and stand up to government overreach. I am also in strong support of President Trump’s efforts to stop the radical, Islamic terrorist Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
I’m running for Senate to restore the values that made our country strong: faith, family, freedom, and personal responsibility. Our Judeo-Christian values are under attack, and we must have leaders who not only talk about faith, but who will fight relentlessly to protect it.
Paxton's response to questions about Senate governance, the filibuster and the Republican Party:
The Democrats are going to abolish the filibuster to push their radical agenda the first chance they get, and Republicans should not unilaterally disarm. I am the only candidate in this race who supports abolishing the filibuster to support President Trump’s agenda, fund law enforcement and ICE, pass the Save America Act, and deliver real results for the people of Texas.
Meanwhile, John Cornyn is more concerned with protecting a procedural hurdle than funding DHS, passing voter integrity, and stopping the abusive "transitioning" of our children. The simple truth is that he’s not a real fighter, he’s been in office for over 40 years, and it’s time for a change. Change is on the ballot on May 26, and that’s what the people of Texas want. Then, I look forward to finishing the job in November as the Republican nominee and stopping the most radical Democrat in Texas history: James Talarico.
Paxton's response to questions about the federal deficit, H-1B visas, EPIC City and the Dignity Act, proposed immigration reform legislation in the U.S. House that seeks to overhaul the immigration system and address the crisis of illegal immigration:
From George Washington to John Cornyn arriving in the Senate in 2002, the debt had reached $6 trillion dollars. But due to Cornyn’s wasteful spending policies, it’s now exploded to over $39 trillion. This endless spending must stop. We need to relentlessly investigate and root out any government spending that goes to illegals, any foreign aid that goes to our nation's adversaries, abolish the Department of Education, and fire the tens of thousands of IRS agents hired by Corrupt Joe Biden.
While John Cornyn’s been responsible for the trillions in debt that pose an existential threat to our kids and grandkids, I will fight to lower our national debt by actually cutting spending. I am also the only candidate in this race who has both taken legal action to stop H-1B abuse in Texas and sued to stop the illegal EPIC City scheme. I will not allow foreign nationals to take American jobs, push radical Islam, or force sharia law on Texas.
Additionally, while John Cornyn has promoted amnesty repeatedly in the Senate, I have been on the frontlines of protecting Texas and securing our border, including suing [former President] Joe Biden over 100 times to stop his radical policies.
Unlike Cornyn, I will never support amnesty policies like the Dignity Act. In fact, no one can name a single good accomplishment of John Cornyn’s. Not a single one. That is disappointing and pathetic and remains the most significant reason John Cornyn should be sent home.
While I’ve been on the frontlines of the most important battles determining our nation’s future, he has been nowhere to be found. Worse, he’s often found siding with the Democrats — like when he worked with Joe Biden to pass the worst gun control bill in decades. It’s time for a change in the U.S. Senate, and that’s exactly why I’m running."
