Paxton Heads to DC Gains Support and New Allies

A victorious Ken Paxton has been making the rounds with top GOP figures in Washington, meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, raising money with Sen. Ted Cruz and even receiving an audience with the president.

The embrace from party leaders comes after much of the GOP establishment spent months working to undermine Paxton’s candidacy, often in harsh and personal terms, and boost one of their own. But after Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn in last week’s Senate runoff, Washington is opening its doors — and wallets — to its former foe.

In the clearest sign yet that Senate GOP leadership is reconciling with Paxton, theNational Republican Senatorial Committee — the main campaign arm of Thune’s caucus — set up a new joint fundraising committee with the attorney general’s campaign. The move will give a boost to Paxton, historically a modest fundraiser, as he works to narrow the fundraising gap with Democratic nominee James Talarico.

Paxton will also meet with President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday night, his first in-person meeting with the president since his primary victory, a 28-point walloping aided by Trump’s mid-May endorsement of Paxton.

The attorney general’s warm welcome from Washington, an abrupt U-turn from the brutal primary, signals a GOP ready to close ranks around their nominee for a seat both parties believe will be competitive this fall. Early polling has shown Talarico with a slight lead over Paxton — a rare sight in Texas, where Democrats have lost in landslide fashion since Beto O’Rourke came within a few points of Cruz in 2018.

Paxton will need significant money to broadcast his anti-Talarico message in the state’s numerous pricey media markets, making fundraising — and Washington’s ability to facilitate it — critical.

Ted Cruz told reporters that he expects Talarico to raise “a monster amount” of money, and that he plans to help Paxton — who has been significantly outraised by both Talarico and Cornyn — build his war chest. In April, Talarico reported a record-breaking $27 million haul over the first three months of the year.

“I think it is critical that we ensure that Ken Paxton is able to communicate his message with the voters of Texas,” Cruz said. “[I’m] proud to be hosting a fundraiser for him, and I’m going to be urging Texans and people across the country that want to ensure a Republican Senate, that they support his campaign — financially, with their vote, and every other way.”

One person who wasn’t part of Paxton’s welcoming committee in Washington this week was his former opponent.

Cornyn told reporters that he planned to support the Republican ticket in Texas but focus his efforts on maintaining the Republican majority in winnable races around the country.

“I stand by everything I said during the whole campaign,” Cornyn said.