New details on the “staggering” influx of cash expected to be spent in support GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton were revealed Friday by Punchbowl News, and Paxton’s former GOP primary opponent wasted no time in reminding Republicans he would have been the “safer bet.”
Texas, a state in which Democrats haven’t won a statewide race in more than three decades, is now in play as polls increasingly show Paxton trailing his Democratic opponent, Texas state House Rep. James Talarico. A controversial figure, Paxton faced impeachment on accusations of bribery as the state’s attorney general.
Citing unnamed inside sources, Punchbowl News reported Friday that Texas PAC, a “Senate Republican leadership-backed super PAC,” could spend as much as $200 million through Nov. 3 to bolster Paxton’s campaign. The PAC has already booked $117 million on ads boosting Paxton, whom Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) — defeated by Paxton in the GOP primary after the attorney general secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement — said he had warned his party about.
“I was trying to warn people that if they actually wanted to hold the seat, that I would be a safer bet,” Cornyn said. “The money that is being spent there means it can’t be spent in New Hampshire or Michigan or Alaska or Maine or Ohio.”
Another potential problem for Paxton is money already spent against by his fellow Republicans during the GOP primary.
“Part of the problem here: Senate Republican allies spent $90 million in that primary and the runoff reminding voters of Paxton’s ethical issues, ranging from a messy divorce to a federal corruption probe,” Punchbowl News’ report reads. “Now Republicans need those same voters to back Paxton.”
Paxton’s wife filed for divorce last year on what she described as “biblical grounds,” having accused her husband of infidelity. Paxton was also accused of having an affair in 2023 during his impeachment trial, during which he faced accusations of bribery, abuse of public trust and unfitness for office. Paxton was ultimately acquitted on 16 articles of impeachment filed against him, and the remaining four were dismissed.