Top Republicans Terrified Trump-Backed Ken Paxton Will Poison Other Texas Races

Allies of Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn are sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump's pick to replace him in 2026 could poison smaller races in the state, presenting a major threat to the GOP's already slim majority in the House.

A Republican super-PAC aligned with Cornyn recently commissioned a memo arguing that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's potential presence on the ballot would significantly hurt other Republican candidates further down the ticket.

"Our findings suggest that if Attorney General Ken Paxton is the Republican standard-bearer, his presence at the top of the ticket could significantly weaken Republican performance in down-ballot and congressional races," the memo says, according to Axios.

Cornyn's super PAC is not the only one voicing this assessment. The Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is also warning that Paxton could be detrimental to the GOP's success at the ballot box.

"No one appreciates Ken Paxton more than Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries," Senate Leadership Fund Executive Director Alex Latcham told the outlet.

Paxton, 62, is backed by Trump as he seeks to win the Republican nomination and become a senator for Texas. Paxton's campaign has been riddled with recent controversy, including allegations of an affair after his wife announced the end of their 38-year marriage on social media citing "biblical grounds."

Cornyn, 73, has been racking up endorsements from former Republicans in recent weeks to win the GOP nomination, according to HoustonPublicMedia. Cornyn has held his Texas seat since 2002.