John Cornyn “Worked With Biden to Take Your Guns”

Tensions escalated Friday between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as the two Republican contenders exchanged sharp criticisms amid a competitive 2026 U.S. Senate primary race.

In an interview published by The New York Times on Friday, Cornyn took aim at Paxton’s history of legal controversies, framing the race as a referendum on integrity rather than policy positions.

Cornyn, who has represented Texas in the U.S. Senate since 2002, said he is prepared to stake his political future on the notion that voters still value personal character.

Trump’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

“I’m willing to bet my career and my future and this job on my belief that character does matter still,” Cornyn told the Times.

“[Paxton thinks] he can get away with a whole litany of misbehavior and corruption that should disqualify him from the job.”

Cornyn also suggested that additional revelations related to Paxton’s conduct may emerge ahead of the March 2026 Republican primary.

Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 on allegations of corruption and abuse of office but was acquitted by the Texas Senate later that year.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Paxton, who has served as Texas attorney general since 2015, dismissed Cornyn’s remarks as a political diversion.

He responded in a statement to the Times, accusing Cornyn of shifting the narrative due to his trailing numbers in recent polls.

“John Cornyn is peddling a new fake lie every week because he is down [in the polls],” Paxton said.

“He can’t change the fact that he worked with Joe Biden to take away our gun rights.”

Paxton referred specifically to Cornyn’s vote in favor of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a federal gun control bill signed by Joe Biden in 2022. The legislation remains a flashpoint among Texas conservatives.

John Cornyn will never stop betraying conservatives and the America First agenda—it’s just who he is.

Even now, he’s still proud to have partnered with Joe Biden to take away Americans’ 2nd Amendment rights. https://t.co/9mqNQpJ88A pic.twitter.com/NlIvGgkT11

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 30, 2025

Cornyn shared his interview with the Times on X Friday morning, prompting an immediate reply from Paxton, who wrote that the senator “will never stop betraying conservatives and the America First agenda.”

Cornyn vs Paxton: A test of character: https://t.co/ar8rLAJ4zD via ⁦@nytimes⁩

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) May 30, 2025

Paxton again criticized Cornyn’s role in passing gun legislation, highlighting it as evidence of Cornyn’s divergence from core Republican priorities.

Cornyn’s campaign defended his conservative record.

Senior adviser Matt Mackowiak said, “Ken Paxton doesn’t even attempt to claim he is a man of good character, because he can’t. He cannot deny that Senator Cornyn has voted with President Trump more than 99% of the time while he’s been President.”

“We are confident that when Texas GOP primary voters fully understand Ken Paxton’s record of mismanagement, ethical lapses, and poor judgment, we will win this primary,” Mackowiak added.

The latest polling, released Wednesday by the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University, showed Paxton leading Cornyn by 9 points among likely Republican primary voters. The poll found Paxton at 43%, Cornyn at 34%, and 23% undecided.

Cornyn has faced growing resistance from conservative activists within the state.

He was booed at the Texas GOP convention in 2022 following his vote for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Sen. John Cornyn, Texas’ senior senator, just got on the stage.

Folks here are booing him big time. #txpol pic.twitter.com/tplLEBssuG

— Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (@SergioMarBel) June 17, 2022

In 2024, Republican leaders in Dallas and Tarrant Counties publicly opposed his bid to become Senate Majority Leader, citing his perceived departure from the America First agenda.

President Donald Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate in the 2026 Texas Senate primary.

His eventual backing could significantly influence the race, particularly as both Cornyn and Paxton appeal to Republican voters who remain closely aligned with Trump’s policies and political brand.

Connect with Vetted Off-Duty Cops to Instantly Fulfill Your Security Needs