Cornyn not ready to give up his Texas Senate seat in GOP runoff against Paxton: "I refuse to lose and I'm going to fight to win this"
At a campaign barbecue in The Colony one week ago, Senator John Cornyn brought the heat against runoff rival Ken Paxton.
"I know the Attorney General thinks all the scandals he's brought with him over the years are already baked into the cake and people don't care, but I guarantee you, I care and I believe you care. I believe character is on the ballot," the incumbent senator said.
It was the first of two stops through North Texas one day before early voting began. President Trump endorsed Paxton over Cornyn two days after Cornyn's swing through this part of the state and one week before Election Day, May 26. That's when Cornyn and Paxton's contentious, 14-month-long battle for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat will end.
One of Cornyn's supporters at the luncheon, Rachel Austin, cited Cornyn's character in an interview with CBS News Texas.
"I have voted for Senator Cornyn previously because I believe he is a man of integrity," she said. "He stands up for what he believes in. His ethics, morals, and values are something that I, as a conservative Jewish woman, really appreciate."
State Representatives Jeff Leach (R-Allen) and Matt Shaheen (R-Prosper) are from Collin County, home base for Paxton. They both worked with him when he served in the Texas House.
Leach told Cornyn supporters, "You want to win in November? You elect this man in the Republican runoff. His opponent has no business, no business whatsoever serving you, serving me, and serving our state in the U.S. Senate."
Shaheen said, "There is only one person in this race that can beat James Talarico. John Cornyn is the person that can beat him because he's the better man."
Cornyn has made electability a key part of his re-election campaign against Paxton. When asked how confident he is that it's resonating with Republican primary voters, Cornyn said, "I hope there's no Republican who wants to lose this election. That's what elections are all about. It's about winning. You don't get a prize for coming in second place. So, that's something I hope people will take into consideration."
Another supporter, Patricia Birdsall, agreed with Cornyn.
"We need to win in November, and he truly has proven that he's able to win the big elections," she said. "That's key for me, and I hope that's important to everybody."
In Waxahachie, at his second event in North Texas, Cornyn made the case against Paxton, saying the Attorney General's political baggage will place the Senate seat at risk if he wins the runoff and becomes the Republican nominee.
"Judgment day is coming on May the 26th," he said.
U.S. Representative Jake Ellzey, R-Midlothian, said Cornyn hasn't faced any ethical problems during his years 42-year political career.
"Not one time in his many years of service, have you heard anyone say 'I think we got him,' and the reason for that is he is a good man," Ellzey said.
At his rallies, Cornyn told supporters that Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is dangerous. When asked how he will beat Talarico if he wins the GOP nomination, Cornyn said, "I think James Talarico will eventually beat himself. He is so out of step with Texans, and he tries to come across as someone who is mild-mannered, a non-threatening individual, but he's basically a Bernie Sanders-type with the same sort of policies, and that is really out of sync, where I believe Texans are. He's already given a lot of very strange statements that I think are going to cause a lot of people to hesitate voting for him in November."
Cornyn has never lost an election. Now, he realizes he may this time.
"Yeah, I think of that," he admitted. "What a wonderful experience I have had. What an honor it has been to serve in so many different capacities. But it also leaves me with a sense of responsibility. I can't in good conscience turn this Senate seat, this red Senate seat in Texas, over to someone who could likely let this slip through their fingers to the detriment of Republicans in Texas, to the detriment of the Republican party nationally, and a detriment of President Trump's agenda. I have and feel a sense of responsibility as a result of my long service, and that's largely what motivates me to run."
The next morning, Cornyn and his wife Sandy voted in Austin, and afterwards, greeted supporters. Leland Freeman said he believes Cornyn appeals to a wider group of people.
"He doesn't have the baggage Ken Paxton has and the fact that he is much more electable come November," Freeman said. "Paxton is not going to get the independent votes."
Cornyn pointed out the last time he ran, in 2020, he won the general election by ten percentage points.
"I think I can help Republicans from the courthouse to the statehouse win," he said.
The Senator rejected Paxton's claim that he is not a fighter.
"Do you think I'd be in this race if I wasn't a fighter? I mean I may not look like I'm angry all the time, but I refuse to lose and I'm going to fight to win this race and I believe we will win this race," he added.