Texas GOP Civil War: Is Ken Paxton the “Kiss of Death” for the Red Wall?

Texas Senate Race

As the March 3rd Texas primary approaches, the battle for the Republican Senate nomination has turned into a high stakes game of political survival. Incumbent Senator John Cornyn has issued a subliminal warning to his party. The Senator nominated Attorney General Ken Paxton and stated that he could be the “kiss of death”, finally allowing Democrats to flip a Texas Senate seat for the first time in over 30 years.

Paxton Carries Too Much Ethical Baggage

Cornyn who is seeking a fifth term, has argued that Paxton carries too much ethical baggage in order to survive a general election. With various legal scandals and a recent high profile divorce, Paxton is being framed by the Cornyn camp as a liability. They stated that not only would he lose the Senate seat but also drag down other Republican candidates on the ballot. 

Paxton Follows Talarico By Three Points

Internal polling from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) supports this claim. The data shows that while Cornyn leads potential Democratic competitors like James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett. Paxton follows Talarico by three points. Paxton still remains the front runner among the MAGA team who view him as a fighter against the D.C. establishment.  

Two Biggest Republicans In Texas Are Debating

This is stating that the two biggest Republicans in Texas are debating. John Cornyn, the current Senator, states “if you pick Ken Paxton we will lose to the Democrats because he currently has too many legal problems.” Ken Paxton states that Cornyn is boring and old-school. He also assured that the people want a fighter like him.

Democrats In Texas Could Turn Blue

The problem is that even though Republican voters love Paxton, the regular voters who don’t belong to a party might be scared away by his legal problems. If those voters switch to the Democrats, Texas could turn Blue for the first time in ages. This would ultimately be a huge disaster for the Republican party.

Sources:

Mediaite: Top Senate Republican Warns Democrats Could Flip Texas Seat if Ken Paxton Is the GOP Nominee

APNEWS: Republicans are freaking out over Texas Senate race

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