Texas Runoff Pits Two Trump Allies Against Each Other

Bloomberg: “While Cornyn rhetorically bear-hugs President Trump at every turn, he’s struggling to persuade enough GOP voters that he’s the White House’s best ally in the Senate. Many of the staunchest Trump supporters are backing Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, as early voting begins Monday ahead of a May 26 runoff characterized by a bitter personality clash.”

“The contest is a prelude to a must-win election for Republicans as they battle to maintain control of the chamber amid voter anger over Trump’s war in Iran and the cost of living. Paxton, a longtime MAGA champion, has accused Cornyn of weak support for Trump. The senator has fired back by spotlighting the attorney general’s checkered past, which includes personal scandals and an impeachment trial in the Texas legislature over allegations of bribery and abuse of office.”

Said professor Joshua Blank: “It’s a pretty nasty primary in which both are lobbing more than insults at each other, but serious questions about their appropriateness to represent the Republican party in Texas. They really are about character and about whether or not each is electable.”