Scoop: Cornyn unloading $10 million in last-minute ad blitz

• "We're gonna be in a runoff, so we got to pay attention to both of them," he said.
• The expected run-off is on May 26th. That's forcing Cornyn and his allies to calculate when to start draining down his sizable cash advantage.

Zoom out: $65 million has already been spent on TV advertising by Republican groups and super PACs, according to AdImpact.

• But if Cornyn loses the primary, avoiding a general election loss could be even more exorbitant for the Republican Party.
• The contest has been a headache for party leaders for months, as they weigh when — and how much — to spend to ensure the seat stays in the GOP column.

At a closed door briefing on Tuesday, Brendan Jaspers, the NRSC's political director, shared polling showing Cornyn would comfortably win a general election in Texas if he emerges from a contested primary.

• But trying to get Paxton across the line could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, he said.

The bottom line: Cornyn ended the year with $15 million in the campaign accounts he controls. A super PAC supporting him, Texans for a Conservative Majority, reported $5 million cash on hand at the end of the year.

• Paxton's campaign reported $3.7 million at the end of the year in cash on hand. A super PAC supporting him ended the year with $2.8 million in cash on hand. It wasn't very aggressive in 2025.