Donald Trump wasted no time unifying Republicans behind Ken Paxton after the Texas attorney general toppled four-term incumbent John Cornyn in Tuesday's primary, but party strategists are quietly bracing for a tougher general election than they'd prefer.
Within hours of Paxton's victory, Trump posted on Truth Social to attack Democrat James Talarico, the Austin state representative challenging Paxton in November. Trump called Talarico possibly "the worst Texas candidate I have ever seen" and resurrected a familiar Republican attack line, claiming Talarico was soft on crime and advocating for open borders. Trump also mocked Talarico's diet, saying he was a vegan who "dislikes meat, not exactly a good way to be if you're wanting to win an Election in Texas." Talarico has denied being vegan and pointed out on a podcast that he's "been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton's first indictment."
The contrast between Trump's rhetoric toward Paxton and his treatment of Cornyn was striking. "John will remain my friend for a long time to come," Trump said of the departing senator, a measured statement that underscored how fully Trump had committed to Paxton despite serious reservations among establishment Republicans.
GOP operatives have privately fretted that Paxton's legal entanglements make him a weaker general election candidate than Cornyn, a Capitol Hill veteran with solid support among his Senate colleagues. Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, but this race is shaping up as one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the 2026 cycle.
A parade of senior Republicans quickly fell in line. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso pledged that voting for Paxton was "a vote for a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America" and branded Talarico a "far-left extremist" who was "too radical" for Texas. Bernie Moreno, the Ohio senator and likely incoming chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called Talarico a "far-left freak" and declared that "the voters have spoken, now Republicans must unite and win." Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who had stayed neutral during the primary, issued a statement praising Paxton as "a fearless conservative who spent years taking on Texas's toughest battles as Attorney General." Montana Senator Tim Sheehy called Talarico a "commie," while Texas Governor Greg Abbott predicted Paxton would "destroy Talarico."
On the campaign trail, Republicans have zeroed in on a 2023 Talarico interview where he was asked what he loved beyond family and friends. "I love the trans children who showed up yesterday at the state capitol to advocate for their humanity," he responded. Representative Brandon Gill mocked the comment at a recent rally, asking "What kind of grown man daydreams about trans kids?" while Representative Sarah Gonzales told the crowd to "check his hard drive."
Talarico is betting his personal character contrasts sharply with Paxton's record. The Texas House impeached Paxton in 2023 on charges that he abused his office to benefit a political donor who employed a woman with whom Paxton had an acknowledged extramarital affair. The state Senate acquitted him. Federal prosecutors in Texas reportedly believed there was sufficient evidence for a Department of Justice indictment, but the DOJ declined to prosecute in the final weeks of the Biden administration. Paxton has also paid nearly $300,000 in restitution to resolve long-running securities fraud charges.
Democrats are openly salivating at the matchup. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Paxton's win put the party "one step closer to winning a Senate majority." They attacked Paxton directly, noting that "Ken Paxton is so corrupt that even his own party tried to remove him from office, and during his tenure as Attorney General, criminals have walked free while Paxton and his wealthy donors have profited at the expense of Texas families." Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder argued Paxton "has spent decades in office abusing his power to serve special interests and enrich himself at Texans' expense."
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's frantic positioning of Paxton shows the GOP knows they're sitting on a liability, no matter how hard they're hammering Talarico now."
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