The Republican establishment is quietly abandoning Senator John Cornyn as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gains serious momentum in their GOP primary runoff, with new polling showing the America First challenger pulling ahead of the four-term incumbent.
One Nation PAC, the political action committee tied to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), has conspicuously stayed on the sidelines despite spending nearly $11 million backing Cornyn in earlier rounds. The silence from Thune's operation speaks volumes as establishment Republicans appear to be reading the writing on the wall.
The latest polling data tells the story of a campaign in free fall for Cornyn. A GQR/Senate Majority PAC survey conducted March 19-23 among 600 likely voters shows Paxton leading 47% to 42% - a commanding 5-point advantage that has conservative activists celebrating across social media.
"GQR / Senate Majority PAC 03/19 – 03/23 600 LV Texas US Senate Primary Ballot Test 🔴 Ken Paxton -- 47% 🔴 John Cornyn -- 42%," reported @DDHQdata on Twitter, highlighting the significant shift toward Paxton.
What makes this even more telling? The poll was sponsored by House Majority PAC, a Democratic-leaning Super PAC, as noted by @PollTracker2024. When even Democrat-funded polling shows your Republican incumbent losing to a conservative challenger, that's a political earthquake.
Conservative strategists are already preparing victory laps. "When Paxton wins on May 26th, from my PAC @TBHPAC I am going to send out plaques commemorating Senator," tweeted @foxholestrategy, mocking Cornyn's team for claiming victory in the initial primary despite heading to a runoff.
Why This Matters for MAGA
This isn't just about one Senate seat - it's about whether the Republican Party will be controlled by Trump-aligned America First conservatives or the same old establishment players who've been cutting deals with Democrats for decades.
Paxton represents the future of the GOP: a fighter who takes on the deep state, defends election integrity, and puts America First. Cornyn represents everything wrong with the Republican establishment - a career politician more comfortable making deals in Washington than defending Texas values.
The smart money is clearly moving toward Paxton, and even Thune knows better than to throw good money after bad. May 26th can't come soon enough for Texas patriots ready to drain the swamp.