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● InformationalElections / Campaigns

Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn for U.S. Senate GOP nomination

Paxton defeated John Cornyn in the Republican runoff and will face James Talarico in the general election.

Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn for U.S. Senate GOP nomination
Image · KSAT

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Host credibilityKSAT86/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates KSAT, 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 Tribune79/100 HIGH

48 stories · 78–81 · updated Oct 6, 2026

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

KSATvia Texas Tribune
May 26, 2026
tl;dr

Ken Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Republican Senate primary runoff, setting up a general-election contest with Democrat James Talarico. The result followed President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Paxton and leaves Republicans facing questions about party unity and the competitiveness of the November race.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Ken Paxton R · TX
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Paxton in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Paxton’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Ken Paxton
R · TX

Republican Senate candidate who won the Texas primary runoff

PRIMARY SUBJECT
John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

U.S. senator and defeated Republican Senate primary candidate

Cornyn's version of this story ↗

Democratic Senate candidate who will face Paxton in the general election

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose endorsement of Paxton was a factor in the runoff

John Thune
R · SD · SEN

Senate majority leader who backed Cornyn

Jake Ellzey
R · TX-6

Texas representative who commented on party unity after the runoff

Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator who did not qualify for a Republican runoff

Ted Cruz
R · TX · SEN

Texas senator who speculated about Cornyn’s possible response to the loss

Luther Strange
Former U.S. Senator (R-AL)

Former Alabama senator cited as an earlier example of a senator losing a primary

ALSO MENTIONED  Dan Patrick, Texas lieutenant governor who stayed out of the primary; Greg Abbott, Texas governor who stayed out of the primary; Richard Lugar, Former Indiana senator cited as an earlier example of a senator losing a primary

Part of a bigger story

19 OUTLETS
Ken Paxton Defeats John Cornyn in Texas Republican Senate Primary

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