Texas Senator John Cornyn has maintained a financial edge over his primary challenger, Ken Paxton, raising $3.9 million compared to Paxton’s $2.9 million in the last quarter. This fundraising success positions Cornyn advantageously as the Senate race heats up, although polls indicate Paxton, a staunch MAGA supporter, remains ahead in key demographics. The race, one of the most contentious GOP Senate primaries in the midterms, has drawn considerable attention due to its high stakes and the opposing political stances of the candidates.
Cornyn’s campaign reported that about $800,000 was raised directly by his campaign, while an additional $3.1 million was collected by Cornyn Victory Committee, his joint fundraising group. However, not all of that joint fundraising money will go directly to Cornyn’s campaign — at least $1.1 million of the funds raised by Cornyn Victory Committee exceed candidate donation limits and will go to other groups backing Cornyn instead, according to a POLITICO analysis.
That means the amount the Cornyn and Paxton campaigns themselves will receive from the last quarter of fundraising is about the same: a little under $3 million each. The other money raised by Cornyn will still benefit his campaign, just indirectly, because it will be sent to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which has endorsed him, along with super PACs backing him.
Paxton’s haul came entirely through his campaign. Cornyn still has an advantage in cash on hand: His campaign alone reported $5.9 million in the bank compared to $2.5 million for Paxton.