Texas Republicans delivered major victories for conservatives Tuesday night, as state Sen. Mayes Middleton defeated Rep. Chip Roy in the Republican runoff for attorney general while Attorney General Ken Paxton ousted longtime Sen. John Cornyn in a closely watched Senate primary.
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Middleton defeated Roy with 56 percent of the vote, according to projections from the Associated Press, after the two candidates advanced to a runoff in March when neither secured a majority.
Middleton had also led the first round of voting, finishing with 39 percent compared to Roy’s 31 percent.
The victory sends Middleton to the November general election, where he will face Democrat Nathan Johnson for the attorney general’s office currently held by Paxton.
Roy’s defeat marked a significant setback for Washington Republicans who had rallied behind the four-term congressman. Roy had built a national profile as a hardline conservative in Congress and received endorsements from figures including Ted Cruz and members of the House Freedom Caucus.
President Donald Trump did not endorse in the attorney general runoff.
The night’s biggest political upset came in the Senate primary, where Paxton defeated Cornyn in a race widely viewed as a referendum on the Republican establishment and loyalty to Trump.
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The AP called the race for Paxton roughly an hour after polls closed. With 76 percent of votes counted late Tuesday, Paxton led Cornyn by 28 percentage points.
Cornyn’s loss represented one of the most significant defeats for a sitting Republican senator in recent years and underscored Trump’s dominance over GOP primary voters.
Trump issued a late endorsement backing Paxton in the runoff campaign.
“Tonight is the beginning of the fight to preserve every value we hold dear,” Paxton told supporters while pivoting toward the general election against Democrat James Talarico.
Cornyn acknowledged defeat Tuesday night.
“I’ve always supported the Republican ticket, and I intend to do so again in this general election,” Cornyn told supporters in Austin. “I’ve said throughout this race that I trust the voters of Texas, and they made their decision.”
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