{"id":218794,"date":"2026-02-05T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/?p=218794"},"modified":"2026-02-05T05:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:00:00","slug":"texas-us-senate-republicans-2026-primary-q-and-a-voter-guide-cornyn-hunt-paxton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2026\/02\/05\/texas-us-senate-republicans-2026-primary-q-and-a-voter-guide-cornyn-hunt-paxton\/","title":{"rendered":"On the issues: a Q&A with the Texas Republicans running for U.S. Senate\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sign up for The Brief<\/a>, The Texas Tribune\u2019s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of a four-part series of surveys featuring candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate and attorney general. Read the survey with Democratic U.S. Senate candidates here<\/a><\/em>. See all of our resources for voting in the Texas primaries here<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a rare intraparty clash of political heavyweights, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is fighting to extend his career in the March 3 Republican primary against Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the Democratic candidates, The Texas Tribune intended to help GOP primary voters distinguish the policy views of Cornyn, Hunt and Paxton by asking the candidates to share where they stand on a variety of issues, ranging from immigration and energy to foreign policy and artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of the three responded to our questionnaire, despite repeated efforts by Tribune reporters to seek their participation. In their absence, the Tribune filled in the candidates\u2019 responses, where possible, based on their past public comments and relevant voting histories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three candidates are similarly fashioning themselves as the candidate for MAGA Republicans and have touted their relationship with President Donald Trump, who has so far refused to endorse any of them. They have not participated in a debate and are not expected to do so before the election. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The race has generated millions of dollars in outside ad spending, most of it from Cornyn\u2019s allies in Senate GOP leadership and around the state, who have been open about their concerns that Paxton \u2014 a hardline conservative who has battled scandal through his 11 years as attorney general \u2014 would be vulnerable to a Democratic upset in the general election. Paxton, meanwhile, has argued that Texas\u2019 senior senator is not conservative enough and has lost touch with the party\u2019s grassroots. The race is expected to head to a May runoff thanks to the October entry of Hunt, who is pitching himself as a younger alternative who can speak to both the GOP\u2019s old guard and MAGA activist flanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Senate currently has 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, with Republican Vice President JD Vance able to cast tiebreaking votes. With Democrats attempting to flip control of the chamber in 2026, keeping Texas\u2019 Senate seat red is imperative for the GOP\u2019s ability to control the chamber. A Democratic flip would simplify the minority party\u2019s path to 51 seats and give Texas Democrats their first statewide win since 1994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. senators are elected to six-year terms in Congress\u2019 100-member upper chamber. They vote on critical federal legislation, from annual spending bills to military policy to ratifying treaties. Presidential Cabinet and judicial appointments must be confirmed by the Senate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Question topics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n