Paxton defeats Cornyn in runoff to face Talarico in battle over US Senate seat

Cornyn references 2 Timothy 4:7 in concession speech

By Ian M. Giatti, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has defeated U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday’s primary runoff for the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. In his victory speech, Paxton thanked his grassroots supporters and President Donald Trump, and declared that voters have sent "a Texas-seized message to Washington."

"Every Democrat, and I would say every Republican, knows that if we lose this state, if Republicans lose this state, we lose the country," Paxton said. 

As polls officially closed Tuesday evening, Paxton had received over 63.1% of the vote, compared with just over 36.9% for the incumbent Cornyn. 

In his concession speech, Cornyn reflected on the words of former President Teddy Roosevelt, shared memories of time spent with fellow Texans, and listed congressional achievements during his time in the Senate. The senator then quipped that "God laughs when we make plans" before referencing 2 Timothy 4:7, saying he will continue his work over the next seven months to help "make this nation a better place for all Texans and all Americans."

While the four-term senator held a slight edge over Paxton in the March 3 Republican primary, both candidates failed to secure a majority of the vote, forcing Tuesday’s runoff vote for the Republican nomination.  

The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico in November, who currently enjoys slight polling leads over both GOP candidates.

If the results hold, Cornyn would become the first Republican U.S. senator in Texas history to seek the party’s nomination and lose, according to The Associated Press, which estimated Cornyn’s campaign and supporters spent as much as $90 million in advertising on the campaign.

Paxton’s campaign enjoyed a last-minute surge last week with an official endorsement from Trump, who called Paxton a “true MAGA Warrior who has always delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.”

A new poll suggests the winner of the Republican runoff could face a razor-thin general election battle against Democratic nominee James Talarico.

According to a survey released last week by the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University, Cornyn held a narrow 45% to 44% lead over Talarico in a hypothetical general election matchup. Another 3% of respondents said they supported Libertarian candidate Ted Brown, while 8% remained undecided.

The runoff vote marks an end to a contentious primary campaign that saw Cornyn launch an attack ad accusing Paxton of “depravity” for allegedly violating at least three of the Ten Commandments. 

Matt Mackowiak, a spokesman for the Cornyn campaign, promoted the 60-second ad in a March 11 post on X, which accuses Paxton, 63, of adultery in connection with a reported affair that led to his 2025 divorce, stealing a $1,000 Montblanc pen, and bearing false witness for allegedly misrepresenting his properties to obtain lower mortgage rates.   

Paxton’s victory Tuesday also marks an improbable political turnaround after he was impeached by Texas Republicans in 2023 on charges including bribery and abuse of office.