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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton leads incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a hypothetical matchup of the state’s 2026 GOP primary, according to new polling.
Paxton leads Cornyn by nine points (43 percent to 34 percent) in a two-way primary, with 23 percent of likely Republican primary voters unsure on who they would support, according to a recent TSU/YouGov poll.
Paxton also led Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who is seen as a potential primary candidate, by 20 points (45 percent to 25 percent), with 30 percent of likely Republican primary voters unsure of their preference.
Should Paxton prevail in the primary, his position in the general election also bodes well, having led all three Democratic potential candidates.
Paxton led Rep. Joaquin Castro by three points (47 percent to 44 percent), former presidential candidate and Rep. Beto O’Rourke by four points (49 percent to 45 percent) and Rep. Collin Allred by two points (48 percent to 46 percent).
Cornyn, who is running for a fifth term in the upper chamber, has previously been described as a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only) by President Donald Trump.
The state attorney general previously launched his primary challenge against Cornyn in April, telling Fox News during his announcement that “It’s time for a change in Texas.”
“It’s time that we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way,” he told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham during an exclusive interview.
The president has not yet endorsed a candidate in Texas’s 2026 Senate race.
