What’s going on: Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the political drama. The brutal Senate primary runoff-turned-mud-slinging-proxy-war over the future of the Republican Party ended last night after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated the incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. But the win didn’t come easy — or cheap. Days earlier, establishment Republicans were thrown when President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton at the eleventh hour. They’d already backed the wrong horse and poured nearly $100 million into Cornyn’s campaign. But what Trump says, goes, and Texans turned out for his pick. As for why voters in the other 49 states (and DC) should care…
Cards on the table: This year’s primaries could be considered the latest litmus test for Trump’s grip on the GOP. So far, they’ve shown that the president’s sway with his base (exhibit A: Indiana) is still strong, even amid his dwindling approval ratings (exhibit B: Iran). Last week, Trump called Paxton a “MAGA warrior” and highlighted his support of the SAVE Act. Even so, Paxton is an undeniably flawed candidate. In 2023, he was impeached (and later acquitted) due to allegations of bribery, obstruction of justice, and abuse of public trust, partly to do with covering up an extramarital affair (his wife later divorced him on “biblical grounds”). He was also indicted over charges of felony securities fraud. Paxton’s win may deepen divisions in the GOP, but it may also determine the future of the US Senate. Trump’s endorsement once again tipped the scales in the Republican primary, but will it be enough to help the GOP keep control of Congress in November?
