Texas Republicans will return to the polls in May to select their candidate to run for the U.S. Senate.
Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, did not receive enough votes in Tuesday’s primary to beat Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Cal Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, said Cornyn represents the old-school Republican Party.
“The Bush wing has faded and the MAGA wing of the party is in the saddle, so the question is whether Cornyn can survive this,” Jillson explained. “Because Paxton is seen as more of a knife fighter who will toe the Republican line and follow Donald Trump and the MAGA base of the party.”
President Donald Trump has not endorsed either candidate. The runoff election is slated for May 26.
The winner of the contest will square off against State Representative James Talarico. A record number of Democrats participated in the primary, outpacing Republicans. Jillson pointed out it increases the chances Democrats have a chance of winning a Senate seat in Texas.
“Republicans have a lot of work to do to build enthusiasm for their candidates and for the positions of their party on basic economic issues, affordability issues and now, on use of force overseas,” Jillson outlined. “Because a lot of Republicans traditionally were for no more foreign wars.”
The last time a Democrat won a U.S. Senate seat in the Lone Star State was in 1988. The president was in Texas last week. Jillson noted it could be a sign Republicans are worried.
“It’s not a good story for the Republicans, who traditionally have many, many more voters vote in their primary than the Democrats do in theirs,” Jillson observed. “That switched around this time and it suggests an excited Democratic Party and a little bit of a bewildered Republican Party.”
