GOP Senators Shift to Support Ken Paxton After Primary Upset

On May 28, 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Senator John Cornyn by roughly a 30-point margin. The victory transformed Texas from a reliably Republican state into a contested battleground for the upcoming November election and raised immediate concerns about the GOP’s ability to retain the seat in the Senate.

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For months preceding the primary, the Senate Republican campaign operation publicly attacked Paxton, labeling his performance “incompetence” and describing his personal conduct as “truly repulsive and disgusting.” The criticism intensified after former President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton, prompting several Republican senators to express anger that Trump had placed personal loyalty above the party’s strategic interests and risked the Texas seat.

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• Ken Paxton – Texas Attorney General, Senate candidate.

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• John Cornyn – Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator defeated in the primary.

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• Donald Trump – Former president, Paxton’s high-profile endorser.

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• John Thune – Senate Majority Leader (South Dakota), vocal about the pivot.

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• Senate Republican campaign operation – Entity that issued early attacks on Paxton.

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Paxton’s decisive win over Cornyn by nearly 30 points signaled strong voter support for the challenger and forced GOP leaders to reassess their stance. The shift came amid concerns that the primary outcome could jeopardize the party’s Senate majority if the general election proved competitive.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the change in tone, stating that GOP leaders were “making the pivot” and emphasizing Paxton’s readiness for the fall campaign. Thune described Paxton as “all in, ready to go for the fall election and not taking any time off, already on the phone raising money, and all the things you’re going to have to do to be successful.” The party’s leadership also signaled a willingness to set aside earlier personal criticisms in favor of electoral unity.

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Earlier in the cycle, the Senate Republican campaign operation had repeatedly highlighted Paxton’s alleged “incompetence” and condemned his personal behavior as “truly repulsive and disgusting.” These attacks were part of a broader effort to distance the party from Paxton’s controversies, a strategy that was largely abandoned after his primary triumph.

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Paxton’s primary win reshapes the political calculus for the 2026 Senate race. Texas, long considered a safe Republican stronghold, now faces heightened scrutiny from both parties. The outcome will influence the GOP’s ability to maintain its Senate majority, especially if the race attracts significant Democratic investment.

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The sources do not provide statements from other Republican senators beyond Thune, nor do they detail the specific content of the campaign operation’s criticisms beyond the quoted descriptors. Information on how Democratic candidates are responding to Paxton’s nomination is also absent.

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• “incompetence” — Senate Republican campaign operation

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• “truly repulsive and disgusting.” — Senate Republican campaign operation

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• “We’re making the pivot,” — John Thune, Senate Majority Leader

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• “all in, ready to go for the fall election and not taking any time off, already on the phone raising money, and all the things you’re going to have to do to be successful.” — John Thune, Senate Majority Leader

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Republican leaders are expected to mobilize fundraising and campaign infrastructure for Paxton’s November run. The party will likely coordinate messaging to mitigate lingering concerns about Paxton’s past controversies while emphasizing electoral viability in a now-competitive Texas Senate contest.

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