News: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) kicked off his reelection bid Tuesday night with a campaign reception at D.C.’s Hill Country Barbecue Market.
The event raised more than $100,000, per a source familiar with Cornyn’s political operation. Several GOP senators attended.
This comes as the Texas Republican, who has long insisted he’s running for a fifth term, is continuing to ramp up his reelection effort in preparation for a 2026 onslaught – not only from Democrats – but potentially from the right.
Cornyn met with longtime donors across the Lone Star State over the past two months, the source added, with more meetings scheduled. Cornyn has consistently been a powerhouse fundraiser among Senate Republicans, most notably through his joint fundraising committee. His super PAC is also actively raising money.
Democrats have been hoping that Cornyn, who just turned 73, would retire, especially after losing the Senate GOP leadership race to Majority Leader John Thune. An open seat would be easier for Democrats to flip, though still a steep uphill climb in red state Texas.
Still, Cornyn will need to keep his usual fundraising pace, if not exceed it, with Democrats expected to continue pouring money into the state. Cornyn reported having more than $4 million in the bank at the end of December, according to FEC records. While Cornyn is an excellent fundraiser, this could be a $100 million-plus reelection bid.
Cornyn may also face a GOP primary challenger. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been openly flirting with a bid against Cornyn.
In an interview earlier this month with Tucker Carlson, Paxton said Cornyn is “wrong about most everything” and noted that Cornyn was critical of President Donald Trump before ultimately embracing him during the 2024 presidential campaign.
In the meantime, Cornyn is steadfastly supporting Trump’s agenda, including all of his Cabinet nominees. Cornyn also played a big role in Trump’s first administration as Senate majority whip.
Here’s what Cornyn told us after last night’s kickoff event:
“Less than six weeks into his second administration, President Trump is already making great strides in fighting woke DEI initiatives, eliminating government waste, and reversing Joe Biden’s open-border policies. I look forward to again working hand in glove with President Trump to implement his agenda.”
