Trump-Backed Ken Paxton Projected to Defeat John Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate Runoff

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) says state Attorney General Ken Paxton, his former opponent, will “absolutely” make it tougher for Republicans to defend the Texas Senate seat as the Republican nominee in the general election, standing by the criticisms he made during the primary. Asked by a reporter late Monday if Paxton “endangers the seat as...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, fresh from defeating four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in last week's GOP primary runoff election, said he believes Senate leaders are ready to back his campaign and several have pledged support.

Tuesday's runoff election in Texas saw another Republican incumbent lose his seat to a Trump-backed nominee. Four-term Sen. John Cornyn conceded the race to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who picked up a late endorsement from President Trump. CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe has more from the Lone Star State.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stormed to a blowout victory in the state’s Republican Senate runoff, handily defeating four-term incumbent John Cornyn and setting the stage for a November showdown with a well-funded Democrat, James Talarico. (Source: Bloomberg)

Republican voters have spoken in Texas— the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton decisively beat incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the GOP primary runoff for Senate.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's routing of Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday's Republican Senate primary runoff is reverberating far beyond the Lone Star State, crystallizing a realignment within the GOP that rewards personal loyalty to President Trump above legislative record, institutional seniority or electoral pragmatism.