A fake alias could be the linchpin of the upcoming GOP senate primary race in Texas, according to a new report.
The race includes political heavyweights such as Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has recently come under scrutiny for the divorce proceedings initiated by his wife. Texas Reps. Wesley Hunt and Ronny Jackson are also reportedly contenders for Cornyn's seat, according to The Washington Post.
But the race could come down to how voters perceive a fake alias that's been following Paxton since allegations of adultery surfaced about two years ago.
Paxton allegedly used the alias "Dave P." to conduct extramarital affairs and meet with a local real estate developer who is at the center of corruption charges against the attorney general.
Cornyn's team is running ads to connect the Dave P. alias, which Paxton has denied using, to his MAGA opponent. The ad claims Paxton is “at it again” after “embarrassing his family once," the Washington Post reported.
Paxton's supporters have argued that his marital troubles are not disqualifying.
“If a divorce proceeding and a not-so-friendly divorce … disqualifies a person to be a member of Congress, I don’t think we could establish a quorum up here," Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) told the outlet.
But the race does pose a political problem for President Donald Trump. Both Cornyn and Paxton are close allies of the president, and choosing one over the other could be detrimental to the MAGA base, the Post reported. Currently, public polling favors Paxton over Cornyn.
Even so, Hunt has made his pitch to the president that he can help solve this "Texas-sized political problem" by winning the primary and general elections. Hunt has already amassed a war chest of more than $2 million and is running ads in places where Trump lives.
“The reality is Paxton has never faced anything like he will over the next seven months and this latest saga represents a tectonic shift in the race,” Aaron Whitehead, executive director of the pro-Cornyn Texans for a Conservative Majority, told the outlet.
