Trump-Backed Paxton Wins Texas Senate Runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term US Senator John Cornyn on Tuesday to win the Republican nomination for the Senate, riding President Donald Trump’s endorsement to victory in a runoff, US media projected.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, I will be the Democrats’ No. 1 target in November”, Paxton said in his victory speech. “Texas will be the radical left’s No. 1 priority, but ... we are not going to let them take it.”

Paxton will face Democratic state Representative James Talarico in a high-profile race that could help decide control of the Senate and may become one of the most expensive in US history.

Talarico, 37, is a Presbyterian seminarian and strong fundraiser who has appealed to independent and moderate voters. Republicans have already sought to portray him as too liberal for Texas, citing past comments on religion and gender.

Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority over Democrats, who would need to net four seats in November’s election to take control of the chamber. Democrats are defending seats in two states Trump won in 2024, Georgia and Michigan, but could win the chamber by holding both and flipping North Carolina, Maine, Ohio and Alaska.

(reuters)