Hard Numbers

Cornyn’s defeat could cost Republicans dearly

Will Fitzpatrick

Cornyn’s hefty loss yesterday to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (whom US President Donald Trump endorsed) in the Senate runoff yesterday will be a costly one for the Republican Party. Firstly, the GOP is losing one of their most prolific fundraisers in Senate history. Secondly, Paxton’s scandal-filled history – including allegations of corruption and security fraud charges – could undermine his candidacy, and put the conservative state in play for Democratic nominee James Talarico. Even if Paxton does win, Republicans will likely have to spend much more than they would have if Cornyn won the primary. What’s more, Cornyn still has six months or so in office, so he could become another dissenting voice within the Republican conference.

More For You

May 26, 2026, Tehran, Iran: Iranian President MASOUD PEZESHKIAN (L) and Iranian Acting Minister of Defense Brigadier General MAJID EBN-E-REZA (R) during a meeting in Tehran.
Iranian Presidency via ZUMA Press

US-Iran negotiations remain on a knife-edge, with Trump claiming a deal is "largely negotiated" even as military skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's strikes on Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon continue to complicate talks.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith acknowledge the crowd before signing an energy agreement in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on May 15, 2026.
REUTERS/Todd Korol

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced a fall referendum on whether the province should pursue secession from Canada, potentially undermining Mark Carney’s pitch that Canada is a “stable, reliable partner” on the world stage.

Students and their supporters take part in a protest demanding snap parliamentary elections, continuing an anti-corruption movement sparked by a deadly railway station collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia, May 10, 2026.
REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic

Student protesters are set to take to the streets in Serbia this weekend in the first major demonstrations of the year against President Aleksandar Vučić, as frustration mounts over democratic backsliding and corruption.