Cornyn’s defeat could cost Republicans dearly

Cornyn’s hefty loss yesterday to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton(whom US President Donald Trump endorsed) in the Senate runoff yesterday will be a costly one for the Republican Party. Firstly, the GOP is losing one of their most prolific fundraisers in Senate history. Secondly, Paxton’s scandal-filled history – including allegations of corruption and security fraud charges – could undermine his candidacy, and put the conservative state in play for Democratic nominee James Talarico. Even if Paxton does win, Republicans will likely have to spend much more than they would have if Cornyn won the primary. What’s more, Cornyn still has six months or so in office, so he could become another dissenting voice within the Republican conference.