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Paxton’s victory in Tuesday’s runoff makes Cornyn the first Republican senator from Texas to lose the party’s nomination for reelection. It followed primaries this month where Trump successfully sought to oust an incumbent he saw as insufficiently loyal, a sign of the president’s enduring influence among primary voters.
Candidates that Trump endorsed in other states are expected to easily win against Democratic opponents. However, the president’s decision to boost Paxton, who won with a sliver of the Republican base who shrugged off his past scandals, may be a bigger gamble in the general election. Democrats are hopeful that their nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, has a rare opportunity to win a statewide race in Texas and help the party retake control of the Senate.
- Near San Antonio, Johnny Garcia won the Democratic primary for Texas’ 35th District against Maureen Galindo, a candidate who has expressed antisemitic views. While Texas lawmakers redrew the district to help Republicans, Democrats view it as within reach and didn’t want Galindo’s past comments to impede them.
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