Texas’ Cornyn-Paxton Fracas Concludes After $130 Million in Ads

May 26, 2026, 9:10 AM UTC

Republican candidates and allied groups spent almost $130 million in ads for the Texas Senate primary contest that ends Tuesday, when Sen. John Cornyn is in danger of losing after President Donald Trump endorsed his challenger, state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

More than $99 million was spent on ads leading up to the March 3 Republican primary that ended with neither candidate capturing a majority of the vote. GOP groups and candidates then shelled out more than $28 million more for the 12-week Cornyn-Paxton runoff—the most expensive primary runoff on record, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.

Cornyn won 42% ...

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