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Trump lashes out at Republicans as Ken Paxton struggles in Texas
The president singled out Karl Rove and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn as his endorsed candidate appears to be in a tight race with James Talarico.
Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Ken Paxton, a Republican who has been attorney general of Texas since 2015, defeated Senator John Cornyn to become his party's 2026 Senate nominee in Texas.
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Recent media coverage for Ken Paxton.
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Trump: 'If Ken Paxton loses' Texas Senate, blame Cornyn, Karl Rove
President Donald Trump on Thursday said Texas' incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and conservative commentator Karl Rove should be blamed if GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton loses to Democrat James Talarico in the Lone…
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Texas Forever Super PAC Spends $5.85 Million Against Ken Paxton
The Texas SuperPac is affiliated with Senate Democrats' main outside-spending organization: Senate Majority PAC confirmed the relationship, describing Texas Forever as an affiliate in a Sept.
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In leaked audio, Ken Paxton says 'Abbott is struggling'
“So those are my two disadvantages. One was: three, actually: not having time to raise more money, having the negative ads, and my opponent is well-funded and well-known,” Paxton said, referring to the Democratic…
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Live updates: AOC campaigns with Abdul El-Sayed, JD Vance rallies in Michigan
“I’m a proud Texas Democrat, but I already have a religion and I already have a sports team,” he said. “So, I have no problem sharing hard truths with my party if it’s what’s best for Texas.”
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Ken Paxton to close Senate run with “Come And Take It” bus tour
Ken Paxton is campaigning for the U.S. Senate in Texas with an 18-day, 30+ stop “Come and Take It” bus tour, ending at the Alamo on Election Day Eve (Nov. 2).
More coverage 4
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New polls show James Talarico with lead over Ken Paxton in Texas Senate race
New polls show tight contests in Texas in the race for U.S. Senate and governor.
The Hill
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Paxton says he won’t cut Social Security benefits, responding to leaked audio
Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate candidate, says he would not vote to cut Social Security benefits if elected to the U.S. Senate.
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Texas Senate race remains a dead heat as early voting approaches
Latest Texas Politics Project poll: Talarico 50%, Paxton 47% (margin of error 3.34%).
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UT Texas Senate poll shows Talarico leading Paxton before early voting
Texas Senate race: University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll shows James Talarico leading Ken Paxton heading into early voting, 50% to 47% (±3.3 points). Libertarian Ted Brown at 1%, others 2%.
No story this week names this candidate.
- Born
- December 23, 1962
- Birthplace
- Minot, North Dakota
- Education
- MacArthur High School, Lawton, Oklahoma
Baylor University (bachelor's degree in psychology, 1985; MBA, 1986)
University of Virginia School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1991)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr. was born on December 23, 1962, at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, his father's posting as an Air Force serviceman.
Following those assignments, the family lived in several states, among them Florida, California and Oklahoma, and Paxton graduated from MacArthur High School in Lawton.
At Baylor University he was student government president and completed a psychology degree (1985) and an MBA (1986); the University of Virginia School of Law awarded him a Juris Doctor in 1991.
He practiced at the firm Strasburger & Price, served on the legal staff of J.C. Penney, and in 2002 opened his own practice handling estate planning, probate and real estate.
Career
Paxton won the District 70 seat in the Texas House of Representatives in 2002 and held it until 2013. Succeeding Florence Shapiro, he then held the 8th district seat in the Texas Senate from 2013 until 2015.
When Greg Abbott ran for governor in 2014, Paxton won the Republican nomination for attorney general in a runoff against Dan Branch and defeated Democrat Sam Houston in November; he took office as the 51st attorney general on January 5, 2015, and won reelection in 2018 and 2022.
A 2015 state indictment charged Paxton with securities fraud over conduct predating his time in office, and he entered a plea of not guilty; the charges were dismissed in 2025 after he completed a pretrial agreement involving restitution, ethics training and community service.
The Texas House of Representatives impeached him by 121 votes to 23 in May 2023, which suspended him from office; the Texas Senate acquitted him in September 2023 on all articles by 16 votes to 14, and he returned to office.
2026 race
Paxton announced in April 2025 that he would challenge four-term Republican Senator John Cornyn for the 2026 nomination. The March 3 primary went to a runoff; President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton on May 19, and Paxton beat Cornyn in the May 26 runoff with 63.8% of the vote. His Democratic opponent on November 3 is state representative James Talarico.