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◆ Mixed look for CornynElections / Campaigns

Cornyn and Paxton bury each other in negative ads as Senate GOP runoff enters final stretch

Cornyn and his allies are spending heavily on ads attacking Paxton as the Republican Senate runoff approaches.

SOURCE CHECK

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Host credibilityKPRC80/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates KPRC, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished with credit

Republished from Texas Tribune, with credit to the original publisher.

Texas Tribune80/100 HIGH

57 stories · 78–81 · updated Oct 7, 2026

This is Texas Tribune's own score, and this article is credited to Texas Tribune. The host score in the Source Check is KPRC's.

KPRCvia Texas Tribune
May 14, 2026
tl;dr

John Cornyn and Ken Paxton are escalating negative advertising in the final stretch of the Texas Republican Senate runoff, with Cornyn-aligned groups spending far more than Paxton’s side. The article describes a close race and examines how the campaigns’ attacks have shifted.

Community verdict

20 VOTES
How does this story look for
John Cornyn R · TX · SEN
● OPEN

People in this story

SWIPE →
John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

Republican incumbent senator and candidate in the Texas Senate runoff

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Ken Paxton
R · TX

Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate

Paxton's version of this story ↗

Democratic Senate nominee and Texas state lawmaker

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President of the United States; has not endorsed either runoff candidate

Republican strategist who is not involved in the race

Nancy Pelosi
D · CA-11

Former House speaker, depicted in a Paxton campaign advertisement

Wesley Hunt
R · TX-38

U.S. representative and former candidate in the Republican Senate primary

Part of a bigger story

7 OUTLETS
Cornyn and Paxton Campaigns Air Negative Ads in Senate Runoff

John Cornyn and Ken Paxton are competing in the Texas Republican Senate runoff amid negative ads from both sides and greater spending by Cornyn-aligned groups. Left-leaning outlets emphasize the attack-ad contest and Cornyn-aligned groups’ spending edge, with Cornyn portrayed favorably. Center outlets cover the same contest in a largely reportorial way, also discussing polling, fundraising or the campaigns’ final push.

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