By NADIA LATHAN, Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate in a primary challenge against Republican Sen. John Cornyn, setting up what is likely to become one of the GOP’s most contentious and expensive contests of 2026.

Related Articles

Pentagon official: US military has no authority to do drone strikes on drug cartels in Mexico

Trump admin says it’s implementing 104% tariffs on Chinese goods, as markets fall

Trump’s latest round of tariffs are poised to go into effect. Here’s what we know

Chris Sununu out on New Hampshire Senate race despite Trump endorsement

AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists

Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump, announced his decision Tuesday in an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham after spending more than a year openly flirting with a Senate challenge. During that time, Paxton has sought to position himself as a national leader among the GOP’s ascendant hard right, launching some of the first criminal investigations in the U.S. over abortions and gender-affirming care for transgender youth.