First look: Cornyn's joint fundraising committee raises $9M for midterms

Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) joint fundraising committee — formed at the start of the 2022 midterm election cycle — has raised $9 million for Senate Republican campaigns so far, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's no secret Cornyn is eager to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as GOP leader. The formation of the Cornyn Victory Committee (CVC) is a clear way for the Texas senator to position himself as the potential future leader and shore up goodwill within the conference.

Between the lines: The latest figures from the CVC, raised during the last five quarters, comes after Cornyn faced backlash within the Senate Republican conference for his handling of the bipartisan gun deal.

• Cornyn saw his role as a lead negotiator on the bill as an opportunity to show his colleagues how he operates as a dealmaker.
• But several senators felt shut out of the negotiating process and kept in the dark about crucial details before being asked to take the politically tough vote, Axios first reported.
• Cornyn was booed by the audience at the Texas GOP convention in the midst of the negotiations.
• The bill ultimately passed in the Senate with 14 GOP votes — including McConnell's — before being signed into law by President Biden.

By the numbers: The CVC has given between $290,000 and $400,000 directly to Senate Republican incumbents up for re-election, Cornyn's team tells Axios.

• $100,000 has been transferred to a number of leading GOP campaigns, including Katie Britt in Alabama, Ted Budd in North Carolina, Adam Laxalt in Nevada, Joe O'Dea in Colorado, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, J.D. Vance in Ohio and Herschel Walker in Georgia.
• More than $1.2 million was given to the Senate Republicans' campaign arm, the National Senatorial Campaign Committee.
• $1.5 million of the total $9 million was raised in the second quarter of 2022.