Cornyn losing to primary rival in poll from top GOP super PAC

Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R) is significantly trailing state Attorney General Ken Paxton in an internal GOP primary poll conducted by a super PAC supporting the incumbent, pointing to a potentially challenging reelection bid.

The longtime senior senator is behind Paxton in the poll by 16 points, 56 percent to 40 percent, Punchbowl News reported Monday. If the primary field expands to three candidates with Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), who is considering his own run, then Paxton leads 44 percent to Cornyn's 34 percent and Hunt's 19 percent. 

The poll was commissioned by the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), which works to protect incumbent Republican senators and grow the GOP’s numbers in the chamber. 

Cornyn appears to be facing his biggest challenge in a Senate primary yet with the challenge from Paxton, as other early internal polls have shown him behind. But this one is notable coming from a group backing Cornyn. 

The developing primary race between Cornyn and Paxton is representative of a wider split within the Texas GOP between establishment figures like Cornyn and hardliners who argue they are the true conservatives and loyalists to President Trump’s agenda. 

Paxton has branded Cornyn a “RINO,” or Republican in name only, and insufficiently supportive of Trump, while Cornyn has slammed Paxton’s legal difficulties and other political controversies. In response to those attacks, Cornyn has touted his voting record being almost perfectly in line with Trump. 

“Senator Cornyn has a 99% voting record with Trump as President and continues to be his close legislative ally,” said Cornyn campaign senior adviser Matt Mackowiak in response to the poll’s results. “In ten months, when Texas GOP primary voters completely understand the record of both candidates, we are confident we will win." 

The results also showed hypothetical matchups in the general election between each Republican and Democrat Colin Allred, who lost the Senate race in November to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and is considering another run. 

Cornyn performed the best in that survey, leading Allred by 6 points, while Hunt led by 4 and Paxton trailed by 1. 

“The numbers don’t lie — John Cornyn is in a far better early position than Ken Paxton,” said SLF communications director Chris Gustafson in a statement. “Texans only need one quick look at Paxton’s record before his support plummets, and it’s clear he would risk delivering the Senate majority to Chuck Schumer.” 

Punchbowl also noted that Trump’s approval rating in the poll was only 2 points above water in the state, suggesting a more moderate sample of voters. 

The poll was conducted from April 27 to May 1.