Politics
John Cornyn Gets Brutal Re-Election Update
Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas received bad news on Tuesday morning as new polling data was released concerning his place in the GOP primary for 2026.
The poll revealed that Cornyn has slipped behind Attorney General Ken Paxton by an astounding 22 points, 50 percent to 28 percent. The independent survey was obtained by Punchbowl News.
Sen. Cornyn’s position in the primary has continued to spiral downward, as the poll also found that of those who participated in the survey, only 27 percent want to see him win reelection, while 54 percent are ready for someone new to occupy his seat in the Senate. Cornyn has been in office since 2002.
Robert Blizzard, a GOP pollster, conducted the poll by surveying 600 GOP primary voters between the dates of May 27-28. The poll was conducted on behalf of the nonpartisan, nonprofit group, Educational Freedom Institute. The organization pushes for school choice programs.
It would be easy to write this off if it were just one poll. However, over the course of the last 30 days, others have shown abysmal numbers for the incumbent senator. The political action committee backing Cornyn, the Senate Leadership Fund, discovered that he’s fallen 16 points in a survey that was conducted from April 27 to May 1.
During a recent interview on TV, Cornyn was asked why he was now falling behind Paxton. He said it was because of “name identification.” However, only 7 percent of voters polled said they hadn’t heard of Cornyn, while 5 percent had not heard of Paxton.
On the flip side, the good news for Cornyn is that his favorability rating was better than his unfavorable numbers. The same is true for Paxton. Cornyn’s numbers were 48/37, while Paxton’s were 65/22.
Political experts believe there are a number of reasons for Cornyn falling way behind Paxton. One major factor is his support of so-called “bipartisan gun legislation.” He helped to craft the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which sought to enhance background checks for young gun buyers.
It would also provide incentives for states to put red flag laws into action, which is a significant point of contention among Republicans. Most conservatives want fewer gun restrictions, a literal interpretation of the Second Amendment, and reciprocal concealed carry laws, not red flag laws.
Adding fuel to the fire, Cornyn’s relationship with President Donald Trump has become strained. In 2023, Cornyn suggested the GOP consider options other than Trump for the 2024 presidential election. His words pushed Trump supporters away and decreased his favorability among important demographics.
Many Republicans consider Cornyn to be a member of the Republican establishment, which isn’t what the vast majority of voters have indicated they want. Instead, they are seeking more populist, outsider candidates to fill positions in Washington.
These factors, according to voters and political commentators, have contributed to Cornyn’s fall in polling data and have created a steep uphill battle for him in the GOP primary.
