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2h ago

Rep. Wesley Hunt Enters Texas GOP Senate Primary, Challenging Cornyn and Paxton

The move increases the likelihood of a runoff, complicating national Republicans’ resource strategy.

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, gestures as he walks to the podium to speak on the first day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.
FILE - Rep.-elect Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, walks past reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
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FILE - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2024, at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., Friday , Feb. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Overview

  • Hunt formally launched his bid for the March 3, 2026 primary, arguing polling shows voters want an alternative to Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
  • Senate GOP leaders and the NRSC had urged Hunt not to run, publicly warning his campaign would drain resources and labeling it a vanity project.
  • AdImpact reports roughly $6.5 million in Hunt-aligned advertising statewide this year versus more than $21 million from groups backing Cornyn, underscoring an expensive contest.
  • Public polling shows Paxton’s early lead has tightened as Cornyn gains ground, with Hunt generally third in three-way surveys, a configuration that could push the race to a May runoff.
  • Hunt’s entry opens his solidly Republican Houston-area House seat, and local candidates immediately moved to run, while President Trump has remained neutral in the Senate primary.