In bitter GOP primary fight for Texas Senate seat, Paxton and Cornyn exchange insults

On the first day of early voting in Texas for the March 3 primary, Attorney General Ken Paxton urged dozens of his supporters at his rally in Allen to get to the polls so he can unseat four-term U.S. Senator John Cornyn. 

Paxton tells Cornyn to "come home"

"It is time, no matter what, for John Cornyn to come home," said Paxton. "We're going to beat him in two weeks."   

For the first time since he entered the Senate race in April, Paxton has been inviting reporters to attend his campaign appearances this week during early voting. 

During his remarks, Paxton criticized Cornyn for seeking a fifth term after first being elected to this seat in 2002. 

"Can you name one great accomplishment of John Cornyn?" Paxton said. "Can anybody? I have never had anybody give an answer to that."

Paxton said as Attorney General for three terms, he's been proud of his record fighting for Texas and against the Obama and Biden administrations. 

Cornyn blasts Paxton as campaign stop in Austin

Campaigning in Austin, Cornyn blasted Paxton and warned Republicans what would happen if Paxton became their party's nominee and faces either of the Democrats, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett or State Representative James Talarico in November. 

"Texans can't trust Ken Paxton," Cornyn said. "If the Attorney General is at the top of the ballot, which is where the Senate race will be, we will have an election day massacre. Republicans up and down the ticket will pay the price of having an albatross like our corrupt Attorney General hung around their neck." 

Cornyn will campaign in Fort Worth on Wednesday.

In response to Cornyn, Paxton said, "First thing, he said the same thing about Donald Trump, that he couldn't win and his day had passed. He's got nothing to run on. I'm very proud of my record and I know we can win. I've been attacked since I've been in this office. I'm not surprised John Cornyn is focused on personal things as opposed to what he's accomplished."

Hunt targets Cornyn, Paxton as "career politicians"

Houston Congressman Wesley Hunt is also in this very contentious GOP primary. Hunt has previously called Cornyn a career politician, and in Dallas on Monday, he said the same thing about Paxton, who was first elected to the state legislature in 2002. 

"I've been in politics for three years. I am not a career politician," Hunt said. "Ken's been around politics for more than 30. He's an incredible politician. I think it's time for us to turn the page on career politicians."  

"You can make up a name for somebody," Paxton said in response. "I'm just trying to represent the people of Texas."

In a University of Houston poll last week, Paxton had 38%; Cornyn, 31%and Hunt had 17% and 2% were undecided. 

Their primary is widely expected to end in a runoff on May 26. 

Paxton didn't make any predictions, but he said he's the only Republican who would have a chance of winning outright and avoiding a runoff. 

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