Wesley Hunt shakes up Texas Senate race
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Rep. Wesley Hunt officially entered the race for Texas Senate — adding a second GOP primary challenger for Sen. John Cornyn to fend off.
Why it matters: The much anticipated move shakes up what has already quickly become one of the most heated primaries of the 2026 cycle, and could lead to a runoff next year.
- "The U.S. Senate race in Texas must be about more than a petty feud between two men who have spent months trading barbs," Hunt said in a statement announcing his bid Monday morning.
- "With my candidacy, this race will finally be about what's most important — Texas."
Zoom in: Senate GOP leadership has continued to back Cornyn's re-election, with a top leadership-linked SuperPAC already dropping more than $8 million on ads.
- Both Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have been working hard to win an endorsement from President Trump, who so far has not put his thumb on the scale.
- Cornyn has closed what started off as a gaping polling gap between him and Paxton in the spring, but Hunt could further complicate his chances.
What they're saying: "It's unfortunate that Wesley Hunt has decided to abandon President Trump's efforts to protect the House majority and instead pursue his personal ambitions, also turning his back on the Texans who entrusted him with their vote," Chris Gustafson, communications director for the Senate Leadership Fund, the Senate GOP's top super PAC, said in a statement.
- "With every credible poll showing him in a distant third place, the only person celebrating today is a giddy Chuck Schumer," Gustafson added.
- "Now that Wesley has chosen personal ambition over holding President Trump's House Majority there will be a full vetting of his record," National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez said, defending Cornyn's "conservative record of accomplishment."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
