John Cornyn raises $1.1 million for GOP Senate candidates, but not Ken Paxton
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn is doing his part to help the GOP keep the majority in the U.S. Senate, if not his seat.
The three-term incumbent hosted fundraisers in Dallas and Houston earlier this week. Former President George W. Bush co-hosted the Dallas event.
A source familiar with Cornyn's political operation confirmed to CBS News Texas that the fundraisers raised a total of $1.1 million for the GOP's senatorial committee and candidates in six competitive Senate races:
- Sen. John Husted, Ohio
- Sen. Susan Collins, Maine
- Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska
- Mike Rogers, Michigan
- John Sununu, New Hampshire
- Ashley Hinson, Iowa
Notably absent from the list Ken Paxton, the conservative Texas attorney general who unseated Cornyn in the Republican primary. Recent polling shows Paxton narrowly trailing state Rep. James Talarico, who is hoping to become the first Texas Democrat to win statewide in three decades.
Cornyn is not campaigning for Paxton, but has said he supports Republicans up and down the ballot.
Despite a lack of help from Cornyn, Bush and other establishment Texas Republicans, Paxton is getting major financial backing from outside groups. The Senate Leadership Fund, affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is spending more than $100 million on TV ads in the race.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the majority in the Senate.
