GOP lawmaker throws a wrench into contested Senate primary in Texas

The Republican primary for the competitive U.S. Senate seat in Texas just got more crowded, thanks to one GOP lawmaker.

Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas officially launched his Senate campaign on Monday to unseat Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Cornyn has already spent the last several months campaigning against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who launched his own Senate campaign in April.

‘There will be a full vetting of his record.’

Although the Republican primary was already poised to be a close race, with a slight edge for Paxton, Hunt’s candidacy complicates the political calculus.

“The time is NOW,” Hunt said in his campaign announcement. “For Faith. For Family. For Freedom. FOR TEXAS. I’m Wesley Hunt, and I’m running for Senate.”

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Hunt’s candidacy has already caused an uproar, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee claiming the congressman has chosen “personal ambition” over holding the narrow Republican majority in the House.

“John Cornyn is a battle-tested conservative who continues to be a leader in delivering President Trump’s agenda in the U.S. Senate, and he’s the best candidate to keep Texas in the Republican Senate majority,” NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement. “Now that Wesley has chosen personal ambition over holding President Trump’s House majority, there will be a full vetting of his record. Senator Cornyn’s conservative record of accomplishment stands tall against Wesley’s.”

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Notably, early polls show that Hunt’s candidacy weakens Cornyn’s odds of winning re-election. In a two-way race between Cornyn and Paxton, RealClearPolling averages show the incumbent at a 2.3-point disadvantage. However, in a three-way race between Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt, the senator is facing an average four-point disadvantage.

Although Hunt is polling significantly behind both Paxton and Cornyn, it’s likely that he would act as a spoiler candidate for the incumbent, widening Paxton’s lead in the race.

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