WASHINGTON — Two powerful Texas Republicans are trading jabs on social media in a potential preview of a fierce primary against each other for U.S. Senate in two years. But the GOP politicians, Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have more pressing issues they must handle first.

What You Need To Know

  • Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is seen as a possible successor to longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, but not every Texas Republican thinks it is a good idea. 

  • Following the announcement, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called Cornyn "anti-Trump" and "anti-gun," to which Cornyn responded in a nod to the criminal charges Paxton faces, "Hard to run from prison"

  • The exchange was just one example of several social media spats between the two Republicans that are fueling speculation that Paxton might challenge Cornyn in 2026

  • As Cornyn’s barbs on social media suggest, Paxton faces a number of legal issues and he might have to temper his political ambitions

Cornyn, the senior Republican senator from Texas, is a possible successor to longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. But not every Texas Republican thinks it is a good idea. 

After the news broke that McConnell was stepping down from the top job in the fall, Paxton said on social media, “It will be difficult for @JohnCornyn to be an effective leader since he is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will be focused on his highly competitive primary campaign in 2026. Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative senator.”

Cornyn retorted, “Hard to run from prison, Ken.” It was a reference to the criminal charges Paxton faces. 

The exchange was just one example of several social media spats between the two Republicans that are fueling speculation that Paxton might challenge Cornyn in 2026.

“He certainly seems to be sending those signals. Otherwise, there’s not really a reason to pick a fight with John Cornyn, who is a powerful, influential politician, not only in the state of Texas, but of course on Capitol Hill as well,” Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, told Spectrum News.  

“The signal seems to be that Paxton is interested in making a run, or at the minimum if for whatever reason that is not in the cards, backing some sort of meaningful, conservative challenger to Cornyn in his next reelection battle,” Wilson continued.

Paxton has a staunch ally in former President Donald Trump and claimed victory following the Super Tuesday primaries after several Republicans who voted to impeach Paxton lost reelection or were forced into a runoff. The GOP-led Texas House voted to impeach Paxton, accusing him of obstruction of justice, bribery and abuse of office. 

Cornyn, who waited a couple of contests before endorsing Trump for president, is seen as a more traditional Republican. Cornyn was booed at a Texas GOP convention after successfully negotiating bipartisan gun safety legislation after the Uvalde massacre. 

“He’s willing to be courteous and cordial to people across the aisle. He doesn’t have a kind of bomb throwing, bombastic style. He likes to work behind the scenes to get things done,” Wilson said. “Paxton is much more in the kind of new, more MAGA, Trumpian combative mode of Republican, and so I think there’s not a lot of difference on policy between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, but they’re really significant differences in terms of style.”

Paxton blasted Cornyn for supporting aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan last month, writing, “Unbelievable that @JohnCornyn would stay up all night to defend other countries’ borders” 

To which Cornyn replied in part, “Your criminal defense lawyers are calling to suggest you spend less time pushing Russian propaganda.”

Some Republicans believe the conflict will not likely affect Cornyn’s bid for leader.

“To some degree, that kind of division is healthy. We’ve got to discuss our differences. We’ve got to seek the common ground, but there comes a point to where I think when it’s just social media becomes more rancorous. You say things on social media, you wouldn’t say to somebody in person,” said Andy Hogue, communications director for the Travis County Republican Party.

As Cornyn’s barbs on social media suggest, Paxton faces a number of legal issues and he might have to temper his political ambitions. Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015, which is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison. He is under federal investigation for his connection to indicted Austin real estate investor Nate Paul, and the state bar is seeking to discipline Paxton for challenging the 2020 election.

“Until and unless he is actually convicted of a felony, I don’t think that the fact that he has legal troubles is going to hold him back very much,” Wilson said. 

There is a possibility Paxton will have one less legal entanglement to deal with after this week. Paxton’s lawyers are reportedly working on a deal to drop his nearly decade-old criminal charges.