Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle in his bid to become the nation&#8217;s permanent attorney general after senators voted along party lines, 12-10, to send his nomination to the full Senate.
The committee vote came after weeks of scrutiny over Blanche&#8217;s tenure as acting attorney general and his previous role as President Donald Trump&#8217;s personal defense attorney. Senate Republicans are now expected to move toward a confirmation vote before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. 
A Senate Republican source told The Daily Wire that leadership&#8217;s goal is to hold a confirmation vote before senators depart Washington later this week.
The nomination drew heightened attention in recent weeks as several Republican senators sought additional assurances from Blanche on issues ranging from the Justice Department&#8217;s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation to the administration&#8217;s abandoned &#8220;Anti-Weaponization Fund.&#8221;
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX), who had previously withheld their support while negotiating with the Justice Department over the fund, ultimately voted to advance Blanche after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/key-gop-holdouts-agree-to-back-todd-blanche-for-attorney-general">receiving written commitments</a> that the department would formally rescind the Anti-Weaponization Fund. Tillis had also pressed Blanche to meet personally with victims connected to Jeffrey Epstein and work with lawmakers to ensure the controversial fund could not be revived.
Cornyn said the agreement provided the assurances he had been seeking. 
&#8220;They&#8217;ve been consistent about their assertion on behalf of the United States of America that the weaponization fund is dead, and of course I expect them to live up to that in any future litigation,&#8221; Cornyn said. &#8220;Given this agreement with Mr. Blanche, I expect the department to live up to this in future litigation, and I will vote to advance him out of the committee today.&#8221; Cornyn also argued that confirming a permanent attorney general would provide stability for the Justice Department.
Democrats remained unanimously opposed to Blanche&#8217;s nomination, arguing he would be unwilling to act independently from President Donald Trump. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said Blanche had failed to demonstrate he would be willing to stand up to the president when necessary. 
&#8220;Throughout the decades since the Watergate crisis, both parties have consistently recognized the importance of an attorney general who can and will stand up to the president and say no, and serve as an attorney general in defense of the Constitution, not just the agenda of any one president,&#8221; Coons said. &#8220;Will acting Attorney General Blanche meet that standard? We have clear evidence he will not.&#8221;
Coons also argued that Blanche&#8217;s agreement to eliminate the Anti-Weaponization Fund was insufficient, saying nothing would prevent him from reinstating it after confirmation.
The committee&#8217;s top Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), focused much of his criticism on the Justice Department&#8217;s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Durbin accused Blanche of overseeing efforts to review the files for references to Trump and criticized the department&#8217;s release of documents containing identifying information about Epstein survivors while, he argued, shielding powerful associates. 
&#8220;Mr. Blanche refused to tell me who gave this order, but former Attorney General Bondi made it clear, saying Blanche was in charge of the Epstein files,&#8221; Durbin said. Durbin also criticized Blanche&#8217;s recent meeting with Epstein survivors, calling it a &#8220;box-checking exercise&#8221; and accusing him of refusing to pursue investigative leads suggested by the victims.
Blanche has consistently defended the department&#8217;s handling of the Epstein investigation, arguing the Justice Department has been transparent and remains committed to prosecuting anyone found to have committed crimes connected to Epstein.
Earlier in the confirmation process, Blanche told lawmakers: &#8220;We have been extraordinarily transparent. There are no closed investigations. If we learn today, if we learn next week, if we learn next month that there&#8217;s an individual who we can investigate, indict, and prosecute out of the Epstein files, you better believe that we will.&#8221;
Republicans also questioned Blanche during his confirmation process on issues including mail-order abortion litigation and the Justice Department&#8217;s review of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-republican-senators-make-big-demand-of-todd-blanche-ahead-of-confirmation-vote">D.C. Five case</a> involving five aborted babies recovered from a Washington abortion clinic in 2022.
Earlier this month, more than 50 Republican lawmakers urged Blanche to investigate whether the babies were victims of illegal partial-birth abortions or infanticide. The Justice Department has since said it is reviewing the matter and will investigate any credible allegations of criminal conduct.
President Trump strongly backed Blanche&#8217;s nomination throughout the confirmation process, praising his performance as acting attorney general. &#8220;Todd has done a PHENOMENAL job,&#8221; Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116919780125305335">Truth Social.</a> &#8220;He is tough, brilliant, and 100% LOYAL to our Constitution, and the American People.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Todd Blanche Advances To Full Senate Confirmation Vote After Heated Hearing

Abortion

Attorney General

Department of Justice

Donald Trump

Epstein Files

Jeffrey Epstein

John Cornyn

Politics

Senate

Senate GOP

Thom Tillis

Todd Blanche

Trump Administration

WASHINGTON — Two key Republican holdouts have agreed to back Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, clearing the path to his confirmation following days of dramatic and public negotiations.
Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas put out a statement on Monday announcing that they had successfully negotiated a &#8220;legally enforceable document,&#8221; gaining <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-makes-move-to-secure-votes-from-two-gop-holdouts">clarity from Blanche</a> on the &#8220;Anti-Weaponization Fund&#8221; as well as the IRS audit. They thanked Blanche and his team for working with them and said they are looking forward to &#8220;voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon.&#8221;
“From the outset, we were clear that we needed a written document addressing our concerns on the IRS audit agreement and the anti-weaponization fund that included constraining the scope of audit protection by limiting it to the parties of the Settlement Agreement and legally ending the anti-weaponization fund,&#8221; Tillis and Cornyn announced.
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<div id="attachment_1149345" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/key-gop-holdouts-agree-to-back-todd-blanche-for-attorney-general/texas-sen-cornyn-holds-up-judiciary-committee-confirmation-vote-on-blanche-2" rel="attachment wp-att-1149345"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1149345" class="wp-image-1149345 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2288333545-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2288333545-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2288333545-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2288333545-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2288333545.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) answers questions from reporters trailing after him following a vote in the U.S. Capitol on July 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,&#8221; they added. &#8220;Additionally, the Department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the Treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Tuesday on Blanche&#8217;s confirmation, and a full Senate floor vote is expected later this week.
The news comes after President Donald Trump suggested last week that he might pull Blanche&#8217;s confirmation until the two Republicans blocking his way had departed the Senate.
“Remember, both Cornyn and Tillis voted for Merrick Garland, and others, too numerous to mention,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday. “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.”
The president described Blanche as a “star” with the “potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time,&#8221; slamming Cornyn and Tillis for refusing to vote for Blanche.
The senators had threatened to derail Blanche’s nomination over the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, a plan the DOJ said it had abandoned after pushback from lawmakers and after a Clinton-appointed judge had issued a temporary restraining order on the fund in May. Last Wednesday, Cornyn told Punchbowl News that the DOJ’s written proposal did not satisfy his demands.
“They know what they need to do, but they simply refuse to do it,” Cornyn said, sharing that he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Blanche.

Texas Sen. Cornyn Holds Up Judiciary Committee Confirmation Vote On Blanche

Key GOP Holdouts Agree To Back Todd Blanche For Attorney General

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche officially rescinded a proposed $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate the targets of government weaponization opposed by some Republican senators. 
Blanche <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2084114427813437897/photo/2">issued</a> a document on Sunday stipulating that the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created in May 2026 is “rescinded and shall have no force or effect.” The decision could pave the way for his confirmation as permanent head of the Justice Department after multiple Republican senators said they would not support his nomination until the fund was discontinued.
“My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche said. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress.”
Outgoing Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have stood in the way of Blanche’s confirmation, saying they will not vote to advance him until the fund is “dead.” Blanche previously told the senators there was no plan to move forward with the fund. 
Both Cornyn and Tillis increasingly feuded with President Donald Trump after the president signaled that he did want them back in the Senate for another term. Tillis decided not to run for re-election after Trump declined to endorse him, and the president endorsed Ken Paxton in the Texas GOP primary. The pair sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is set to vote on Blanche’s nomination on Tuesday.
&#8220;Todd Blanche is a very, very good man, and he shouldn&#8217;t be in the middle of this. He should get approved because you will never get anybody like him,&#8221; Trump said last week. &#8220;And to make him a pawn in this whole thing &#8230; this is being done by a senator [Cornyn], and I don&#8217;t really blame him to be honest with you. &#8230; The man that lost, the man that I didn&#8217;t endorse has become very angry, and that&#8217;s okay.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-pull-blanche-nomination-until-problematic-gop-senators-depart?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+Pull+Blanche+Nomination+Until+Problematic+GOP+Senators+Depart">floated</a> the idea last week of yanking Blanche’s nomination until Cornyn and Tillis are out of office. 
“Remember, both Cornyn and Tillis voted for Merrick Garland, and others, too numerous to mention,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.” 
Over the weekend, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117020029291674756">said</a> that if Blanche was not confirmed, he would continue to “push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration.”
Responding to Trump’s post, Tillis <a href="https://x.com/SenThomTillis/status/2083528424199537032">said</a> that the president “clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.”
Tillis said he considered Blanche “qualified for the job” but would not vote to move him forward over the weaponization fund.

Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche Meets With Senators On Capitol Hill

Todd Blanche Makes Move To Secure Votes From Two GOP Holdouts

Republicans

Weaponization

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that he might pull the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche until two Republicans blocking Blanche&#8217;s confirmation have departed the Senate.
Blanche would remain as acting attorney general, the president shared on Thursday morning, slamming Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) for refusing to vote for Blanche.
Cornyn and Tillis have expressed apprehensions about Blanche, saying they would not vote to confirm Trump&#8217;s DOJ appointee until their concerns have been addressed.
Two sources familiar with the matter told The Daily Wire on Thursday evening that the DOJ had submitted a written response to both senators that addressed their concerns. But Trump&#8217;s post on Thursday morning indicated the response had not been good enough — and that he&#8217;d figure out another way to circumvent the senators.
<div id="attachment_1147257" style="width: 805px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-pull-blanche-nomination-until-problematic-gop-senators-depart/acting-attorney-general-todd-blanche-testifies-to-senate-judiciary-committee-at-his-confirmation-hearing-2" rel="attachment wp-att-1147257"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1147257" class="wp-image-1147257 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226821-1-795x576.jpg" alt="" width="795" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226821-1-795x576.jpg 795w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226821-1-300x217.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226821-1-768x557.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2286226821-1.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 795px) 100vw, 795px" /></a>Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill July 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;Remember, both Cornyn and Tillis voted for Merrick Garland, and others, too numerous to mention,&#8221; Trump said in a Truth Social post. &#8220;I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.&#8221;
The president described Blanche as a &#8220;star&#8221; with the &#8220;potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time.&#8221; Trump also criticized Cornyn and Tillis for refusing to vote for Blanche, saying he had destroyed their political careers.
Cornyn had threatened to derail Blanche&#8217;s nomination over the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, a plan the DOJ said it had abandoned after pushback from lawmakers. On Wednesday, Cornyn told Punchbowl News that the DOJ&#8217;s written proposal did not satisfy his demands.
“They know what they need to do, but they simply refuse to do it,” Cornyn said, sharing that he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Blanche.
After Clinton-appointed Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary restraining order on the Anti-Weaponization Fund on May 29, Justice Department officials ultimately complied and dropped the matter.
“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,&#8221; Blanche testified at the time.
Trump tore into the Republicans who opposed the fund, telling the Daily Caller&#8217;s Reagan Reese from the Oval Office: “Well, Congress didn’t want it. You have to talk to Congress. The Republican senators, some of them, got very weak knees. They didn’t have the stomach for the fight.”

Jury Selection Continues In Former President Donald Trump’s New York Hush Money Trial

Trump Threatens To Pull Blanche Nomination Until Problematic GOP Senators Depart

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is holding up and threatening to derail Todd Blanche&#8217;s nomination as U.S. attorney general over a $1.8 billion &#8220;anti-weaponization&#8221; fund, which the Justice Department says it has no plans to pursue.
The Texas Republican, fresh off a bruising primary defeat, says Thursday&#8217;s Senate Judiciary Committee vote to advance Blanche&#8217;s nomination likely won&#8217;t happen without additional guarantees from the White House.
<a href="https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2082470661281177633?s=20">Punchbowl reported</a> Wednesday that the DOJ sent Cornyn a written proposal in an effort to satisfy his demands. It did not work. 
“They know what they need to do, but they simply refuse to do it,” Cornyn <a href="https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2082475546596757684?s=20">told</a> Punchbowl, announcing he called off his scheduled meeting with Blanche.
Ahead of that now-canceled meeting, Cornyn took to social media Tuesday to draw his line in the sand: “Fake news alert: there is no &#8216;deal&#8217; on Blanche nom. They know what they have to do,” Cornyn <a href="https://x.com/JohnCornyn/status/2082141659786051682?s=20">posted</a>.
Cornyn is working with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who also serves on the Judiciary Committee, to secure additional commitments that the Justice Department will amend its settlement with President Trump to explicitly rule out a $1.8 billion &#8220;anti-weaponization&#8221; fund.
The controversy started in May, when Trump agreed to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1441086/dl?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">dismiss</a> his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for a formal apology and the creation of a new $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-establishes-1-776b-fund-to-combat-deep-state-weaponization">The Daily Wire</a> reported. The program would&#8217;ve compensated people who say federal authorities unfairly targeted them under the Biden administration. A separate provision of the agreement also barred the IRS from pursuing certain tax claims against Trump, his family, and their businesses. 
Only a few weeks later, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-gop-revolted-against-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund">Anti-Weaponization Fund was dead</a>. Clinton-appointed Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary restraining order May 29, blocking the Justice Department from taking further action on the fund. Justice Department officials complied, and after tense meetings with Senate Republicans, acting Attorney General Blanche testified: “We are not moving forward with the fund, period.” 
President Trump blasted Republicans who opposed the agreement. 
“Well, Congress didn’t want it,” President Trump told The Daily Caller’s Reagan Reese from the Oval Office. “You have to talk to Congress. The Republican senators, some of them, got very weak knees. They didn’t have the stomach for the fight.”
The DOJ&#8217;s pledge to scrap the fund hasn&#8217;t satisfied Cornyn, who was supposed to meet with Blanche before Thursday&#8217;s committee vote. With all Democrats opposed, a single Republican vote against Blanche would effectively kill his nomination. 
“We need it in writing. We don’t need well-wishes or, you know, impressions,” he said, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/28/congress/todd-blanche-judiciary-committee-delay-01013621?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=5c65d8fa-b7c7-44e5-98d0-43e6086e71cd">Politico</a>. “We need concrete confirmation.”
Tillis has suggested to Politico that he is “pretty much following Cornyn’s cue.&#8221; 
Cornyn’s threat comes one week after he <a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-secures-commitment-from-trump-admin-to-release-pepfar-funds/">successfully threatened</a> to block two of President Donald Trump’s ambassadorial nominees unless the administration released more than $1 billion in foreign aid funding for Africa. 
A White House official previously told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/john-cornyn-threatens-to-sink-trump-nominees-over-foreign-aid-cuts?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=22&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=John+Cornyn+Threatens+To+Sink+Trump+Nominees+Over+Foreign+Aid+Cuts">The Daily Wire</a> that the Trump administration has strengthened President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) by providing clearer strategic direction, encouraging greater recipient-country ownership, and sharpening the program’s focus on measurable health outcomes.
The Trump-Cornyn clashes come just weeks after Cornyn suffered a decisive defeat in the GOP primary to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, despite spending months courting Trump&#8217;s endorsement.
“The only way it seems like you can get the administration’s attention on some of these funding issues is by using the leverage to withhold votes on nominees,” Cornyn told <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/07/21/2026/cornyn-threatens-to-sink-trump-nominees-over-pepfar">Semafor</a>. “We are going to use the committee vote tomorrow as a way to … get the money distributed the way Congress appropriated it.”

Sen. John Cornyn

Senator Scorned By Trump Threatens To Hold AG Nominee Hostage Over Weaponization Fund

News

President Trump

Texas

U.S. Senate

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is reportedly threatening to block two of President Donald Trump’s ambassadorial nominees unless the administration releases more than $1 billion in foreign aid funding for Africa.
<a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/07/21/2026/cornyn-threatens-to-sink-trump-nominees-over-pepfar">Semafor reported</a> Tuesday that Cornyn plans to oppose the nominations of Kari Lake and Doug Mastriano unless the administration releases funding through the President&#8217;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 
The political maneuver comes as the Foreign Relations Committee is expected to consider Lake’s nomination on Wednesday. 
“The only way it seems like you can get the administration’s attention on some of these funding issues is by using the leverage to withhold votes on nominees,” Cornyn told Semafor. “We are going to use the committee vote tomorrow as a way to…. Get the money distributed the way Congress appropriated it.”
The committee is made up of 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, meaning a single GOP defection is enough to block a nominee. Cornyn also hinted he may have company, telling the outlet, &#8220;I will not be alone.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/pepfar-global-aids/pepfar">PEPFAR,</a> launched by President George W. Bush in 2003, is the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history. 
Last year, the Trump administration overhauled the program, arguing that low-income countries receiving aid should assume a greater share of the financial responsibility for combating HIV. 
Cornyn argued the funding remains critical to saving lives and advancing U.S. interests in Africa. He wants $1.3 billion to be released immediately before voting for Trump’s nominees, according to the outlet. 
“This is one of the really important elements of our soft power too, because America needs friends in Africa,” Cornyn said. ‘So, not only is it the right thing to do from a compassionate point of view, it’s in our self-interest to make sure this money is used to promote American soft power and to make friends.” 
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A White House official told The Daily Wire that the Trump administration has strengthened PEPFAR by providing clearer strategic direction, encouraging greater recipient-country ownership, and sharpening the program&#8217;s focus on measurable health outcomes.
&#8220;As a result, the number of children testing positive for HIV and receiving treatment has continued to decline,&#8221; the official said.
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The standoff comes just weeks after Cornyn suffered a decisive GOP primary defeat to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton despite spending months trying to secure Trump&#8217;s endorsement. 
Cornyn&#8217;s defeat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backed-paxton-defeats-cornyn-in-texas-senate-clash">dealt a major blow</a> to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who had repeatedly urged Trump to back the four-term senator and longtime fixture in GOP leadership. 
“Sen. Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas, but none of us control what the president does,” Thune said of Trump’s 11th-hour endorsement. “That doesn’t change the way I feel.”
Cornyn was the latest incumbent — and second senator to fall — amid Trump’s campaign to purge Republicans he views as disloyal to his agenda. In recent months, the Trump endorsement has led to losses by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and a handful of Indiana Republicans who bucked the president’s redistricting effort.
Editor&#8217;s note: This article has been updated with information from a White House official

John Cornyn Threatens To Sink Trump Nominees Over Foreign Aid Cuts

Africa

AIDS

Congress

Kari Lake

Republican voters made a Texas-sized gamble last night in the Lone Star state, betting that even with the baggage he carries into a general election, Trump loyalist Attorney General Ken Paxton will be able to handle the threat from a strongly backed Democratic effort behind State Rep. James Talarico. We&#8217;ve heard the left’s dreams of turning Texas blue for decades, but even with his defects as a candidate and fundraiser, Paxton still enters the final contest as the favored candidate. The larger question is whether that gamble will cost Texans and Republicans in other races around the country.
As successful as he&#8217;s been politically — with a knack for surviving challenges, lawsuits, and even an impeachment — Paxton has never been an effective individual fundraiser. The biggest gap between him and incumbent Senator John Cornyn isn&#8217;t ideology or even loyalty to the president — it&#8217;s their capability to raise money in a state marketplace that demands it.
Cornyn&#8217;s campaign doomed his effort to hold on this cycle by squandering that money on television ads, poor staffing choices, and adopting a general Washington insider tone in a cycle of voter frustration — but they had plenty of money to dump into the effort. National Republicans are pissed off about the whole situation, understanding that they may now have to push money into a contest that wouldn&#8217;t have needed it if voters had decided differently. If their reluctance to spend big on yet another contest in a critical cycle holds and Paxton&#8217;s past is prologue, he&#8217;ll have to get a leg up from Texas donors called upon to grin and bear it about a candidate they&#8217;ve been reluctant to fund.
The concern among Texas Republican politicos is less about Talarico&#8217;s potential for victory, given his lengthy history of far-Left comments about everything under the sun, and more about the newly drawn redistricted map potentially netting fewer GOP victories than hoped for, given Paxton&#8217;s electoral appeal. While Cornyn and fellow Senator Ted Cruz have consistently held the line among Hispanic voters (in his Senate race, Cruz won Hispanic voters by 6 points over Colin Allred two years ago), Paxton has lagged. The latest polling has Talarico winning Hispanics in the state by almost 30 points, and such turnout from those voters in November could be a major drag on Republican congressional candidates down-ticket.
The fear in Washington is that Texas will now draw resources necessary to hold seats in Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio — potentially detracting from the strong GOP hopes of taking Senate seats in Michigan and Georgia. If Senate Majority Leader John Thune and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott decide to keep their focus on those five contests, Texas may be left on its own to get Paxton across the finish line.
The unpredictable element here is how much the national media will play in this contest. In the past, we&#8217;ve seen the national glow-ups for candidates like Beto O&#8217;Rourke totally backfire, turning a fairly middle-of-the-road El Paso Democrat into a progressive wet dream, the skateboard-riding bass player that made Austin swoon but who ultimately had no path to victory statewide. Will Talarico get the same treatment? He already is, though every interview he does betrays that his version of non-binary six gender abortion-loving Christianity is anathema in the Valley.
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Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico responded to GOP attacks over his past remark that God is “non-binary,” telling <a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edokeefe</a> that some of his previous comments “missed the mark.”
“There are some statements that I’ve made that I certainly regret,”… <a href="https://t.co/VRsEXHo6ir">pic.twitter.com/VRsEXHo6ir</a>
— CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/2059668066741445059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Paxton is still the odds-on favorite. To a certain extent, the lengthy catalog of his failings is largely known to voters, while Talarico is still a fresh face who hasn&#8217;t confronted the scrutiny of running statewide in an old-school Texas knife fight. For Republicans who care about holding the Senate against a blue wave, they have hope that Paxton&#8217;s sins are already baked in, and that Talarico&#8217;s approach to running continues to look more like prep for his ideal next job — co-hosting a religion podcast for The New York Times.

Rep. Ken Paxton, and U.S. Senate candidate watch party

Voters Make A Texas-Sized Gamble On Ken Paxton

DW Opinion

James Talarico

Ken Paxton

Texas Elections

Texas voters on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to move on from longtime incumbent senator John Cornyn (R-TX), handing the longtime incumbent a devastating defeat and delivering a sharp rebuke to the Republican establishment in Washington.
The race was called for Ken Paxton, who went into election day with the backing of President Donald Trump, immediately as the polls closed in Texas. Paxton, the state&#8217;s current attorney general, was ahead by 25 percentage points.
Paxton&#8217;s landslide victory deals a major blow to the Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who repeatedly urged Trump to back Cornyn, a four-term senator and longtime fixture in GOP leadership. Cornyn previously chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee and served as Senate Majority Whip. 
“Sen. Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas, but none of us control what the president does,” Thune said of Trump’s 11th-hour endorsement. “That doesn’t change the way I feel.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Q: &#8220;How personally disappointed or frustrated are you with the president&#8217;s decision to endorse Ken Paxton today?&#8221;
.<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &#8220;Sen. Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas…None of us control what the president does.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/5QglYxRp1V">pic.twitter.com/5QglYxRp1V</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2056805960895590901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Cornyn is the latest incumbent — and second senator to fall — amid Trump’s campaign to purge Republicans he views as disloyal to his agenda. In recent weeks, the Trump endorsement has led to losses by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and a handful of Indiana Republicans who bucked the president’s redistricting effort.
Paxton has emerged as a fierce MAGA firebrand on a range of issues, using his office to protect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-texas-ag-investigating-school-officials-who-said-theyd-break-the-law?row=0&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Tim+Rice&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Texas+AG+Launches+Probe+Into+Schools+Scheming+To+Get+Boys+Onto+Girl+Sports+Teams&amp;category=News">women’s sports,</a> defend Texas A&amp;M’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-texas-ag-to-defend-texas-am-over-decision-to-ban-campus-drag-shows?row=0&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Texas+AG+To+Defend+Texas+A%26M+Over+Decision+To+Ban+Campus+Drag+Shows&amp;category=News">decision</a> to ban a campus drag show, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-arrests-48-year-old-woman-for-performing-illegal-abortions-operating-fake-clinics?row=0&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;title=Texas+Arrests+48-Year-Old+Woman+For+Performing+Illegal+Abortions%2C+Operating+Fake+Clinics&amp;category=News">prosecute</a> a woman who performed illegal abortions.
With all eyes on Texas, Trump ended months of suspense last Tuesday and threw his political clout behind Paxton. 
“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,” Trump said on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116602192066577324">Truth Social</a>. 
“John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough,” he added.
On the campaign trail, Paxton seized the moment. 
“I am so honored to have President Trump’s endorsement,” Paxton said. “When he endorses, it has a tremendous impact…I think it creates a slight bit of momentum, don’t you?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Texas AG &amp; U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R) speaks after receiving President Trump&#8217;s endorsement: &#8220;When he endorses, it has a tremendous impact…I think it creates a slight bit of momentum, don&#8217;t you?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/cGFSrteLV4">pic.twitter.com/cGFSrteLV4</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2056783591925842382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
When neither Paxton nor Cornyn surpassed the 50% threshold in the initial vote — triggering a runoff — both campaigns stepped up an intense jockeying for Trump’s support.
Paxton raised eyebrows for <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2029607496395239546?s=20">saying</a> he would consider dropping out of the race if the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
&#8220;John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill,&#8221; Paxton said.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/">Cornyn wrote in a op-ed</a> that he had previously backed the “60-vote threshold to protect the country,” but said that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
The Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act appeared to sway Trump.
“I know Ken well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a WINNER! Ken is a Strong Supporter of TERMINATING THE FILIBUSTER and, very importantly, THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, something which polls at 87%, including Dumocrats, and yet can’t seem to get approved,” Trump said in his endorsement. “Perhaps Ken can help move these important elements of Government forward…”
Turning Point Action backed Paxton, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent millions supporting Cornyn.
Some party leaders worry Paxton — who was nearly convicted on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-senate-votes-to-acquit-attorney-general-ken-paxton-of-all-charges">corruption-related impeachment charges</a> — could put a reliably Republican seat at risk. His wife filed for divorce in 2025, citing <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/angela-paxton-divorce-texas-attorney-general-ken/">adultery on &#8220;biblical grounds.&#8221;</a>
In November, Paxton will face off against Democratic candidate James Talarico, whom Trump recently ripped into as “weird.”
“I’ll tell you what I do think — I think the Democrats have a weird, a weird candidate. Six genders, a real hit on Jesus,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-roasts-texas-democrat-over-six-genders-and-vegan-flip-flop">Trump told reporters on Air Force One.</a> “I mean, this guy is bad news with his mask from relatively recently, and he’s a vegan. He’s a vegan. All of a sudden, he’s not a vegan. He was a vegan, now all of a sudden he’s not.”
“Texas doesn’t like vegans. I do believe either one of them will easily win the race. I think the candidate the Democrats have in Texas is a very flawed, very weak, very — I think he’s a pathetic candidate, especially for Texas,” the president added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW AD:
Low T Talarico is too WEAK and WEIRD for Texas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TXsen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TXsen</a> <a href="https://t.co/B6wL7pto4S">pic.twitter.com/B6wL7pto4S</a>
— Lone Star Liberty PAC (@LoneStar_PAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LoneStar_PAC/status/2057531828085350738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
Further down the Texas runoff ballot, Chip Roy, another Republican incumbent opposed by Donald Trump, was also defeated in his run for attorney general. Trump allies had blasted Roy in the final days of the campaign as &#8220;one of the most anti-Trump congressmen in the country.&#8221;
The winner, Mayes Middleton, had branded himself &#8220;MAGA Mayes&#8221; on the campaign trail and ran pledging to fight for Trump&#8217;s agenda if elected.
And in a final cherry on top for Trump from Tuesday night&#8217;s results, Democrat Al Green, who notably was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-dem-rep-al-green-booted-from-trump-address-to-congress">removed from the chamber</a> for shouting down Trump&#8217;s State of the Union address, also fell to a primary challenge.

Untitled design (12)

Trump-Backed Paxton Blows Out Cornyn In Texas Senate Showdown

Elections

politicxs

President Trump on Tuesday endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to replace incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, boosting the MAGA firebrand ahead of the contentious May 26 runoff.
&#8220;Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate. He will tirelessly fight to continue the Great Growth of our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations (I just delivered the Largest Tax and Regulation Cuts in American History!), and Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Champion Texas Oil &amp; Gas, Advocate for our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,&#8221; <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116602192066577324">Trump said on Truth Social. </a>
“John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough…” he added.
Paxton, speaking to supporters, took a victory lap. 
“I am so honored to have President Trump’s endorsement,” Paxton said. “When he endorses, it has a tremendous impact…I think it creates a slight bit of momentum, don&#8217;t you?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Texas AG &amp; U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R) speaks after receiving President Trump&#8217;s endorsement: &#8220;When he endorses, it has a tremendous impact…I think it creates a slight bit of momentum, don&#8217;t you?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/cGFSrteLV4">pic.twitter.com/cGFSrteLV4</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2056783591925842382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Trump teased the endorsement while taking questions from reporters at the White House. 
“I think MAGA has never been more together, actually. I’m going to be making an endorsement today in Texas,” <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2056755698948530671?s=20">Trump said.</a> “I love Texas. I’m going to be making an endorsement at about 12:30, 1 p.m. for the big race — the Senate race in Texas.”
&#8220;There are those that say whoever I endorse is going to win. I don’t know if that’s true. Historically, that’s absolutely true. I just don&#8217;t like to say it because I don&#8217;t like to brag,” Trump added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
President Trump: &#8220;I&#8217;m going to be making an endorsement today in Texas — I won Texas all six times meaning primaries and the race. &#8221; <a href="https://t.co/baANOzSD3y">pic.twitter.com/baANOzSD3y</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2056755698948530671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
The 11th-hour endorsement comes after the Cornyn campaign appeared to have given up on securing the president’s support. 
“I think that ship has finally sailed,” <a href="https://x.com/JohnnieMo/status/2056412787748847981?s=20">Cornyn said to reporters after voting in Austin, Texas.</a>
He was right. 
&#8220;I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race,&#8221; Cornyn said, reacting to the Paxton endorsement. &#8220;It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race. It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP…
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCornyn/status/2056781893681467545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
When neither Paxton nor Cornyn surpassed the 50% threshold in the initial vote — triggering a runoff — both campaigns stepped up jockeying for Trump’s support.
Paxton raised eyebrows for saying he would consider dropping out of the race if the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
“I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act,” <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2029607496395239546?s=20">Paxton</a> wrote.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/">Cornyn wrote in the op-ed</a> that he had previously backed the “60-vote threshold to protect the country,” but said that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
The SAVE America Act push appeared to sway Trump.
&#8220;I know Ken well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a WINNER! Ken is a Strong Supporter of TERMINATING THE FILIBUSTER and, very importantly, THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, something which polls at 87%, including Dumocrats, and yet can’t seem to get approved,&#8221; Trump said in his Truth Social endorsement. &#8220;Perhaps Ken can help move these important elements of Government forward&#8230;&#8221;
Turning Point Action backs Paxton, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee backs Cornyn.
“The runoff electorate is gonna naturally favor Paxton, because these are conservatives, these are people that are enthusiastic to turn out and support a strong attorney general and President Trump,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-holds-cards-in-texas-showdown-as-one-move-could-clear-the-field">a Republican consultant previously told The Daily Wire</a>.
Whoever wins the Republican nomination will face off against Democratic candidate James Talarico, whom Trump recently ripped into as “weird.”
“I’ll tell you what I do think — I think the Democrats have a weird, a weird candidate. Six genders, a real hit on Jesus,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-roasts-texas-democrat-over-six-genders-and-vegan-flip-flop">Trump told reporters on Air Force One.</a> “I mean, this guy is bad news with his mask from relatively recently, and he’s a vegan. He’s a vegan. All of a sudden, he’s not a vegan. He was a vegan, now all of a sudden he’s not.”
“Texas doesn’t like vegans. I do believe either one of them will easily win the race. I think the candidate the Democrats have in Texas is a very flawed, very weak, very — I think he’s a pathetic candidate, especially for Texas,” the president added.
John Thune, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, expressed disagreement with the decision.
“Sen. Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas, but none of us control what the president does,” Thune said. “That doesn’t change the way I feel.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Q: &#8220;How personally disappointed or frustrated are you with the president&#8217;s decision to endorse Ken Paxton today?&#8221;
.<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &#8220;Sen. Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas…None of us control what the president does.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/5QglYxRp1V">pic.twitter.com/5QglYxRp1V</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2056805960895590901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>

texas_senate_montage

Trump Makes Late Endorsement In Heated Texas Primary

Trump

President Donald Trump ripped into “weird” Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico over his far-Left views, hammering him for his promotion of veganism and transgender ideology. 
Trump made the comments when asked Friday if he would endorse Senator John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton before the Texas Senate GOP primary runoff election later this month. While he declined to say which way he was leaning, Trump said he thought either would easily defeat Talarico. 
“I’ll tell you what I do think — I think the Democrats have a weird, a weird candidate. Six genders, a real hit on Jesus,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “I mean, this guy is bad news with his mask from relatively recently, and he’s a vegan. He’s a vegan. All of a sudden, he’s not a vegan. He was a vegan, now all of a sudden he’s not.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump roasts Texas Democrat over ‘six genders’ and vegan flip flop" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/irgph7f9CF8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Texas doesn’t like vegans. I do believe either one of them will easily win the race. I think the candidate the Democrats have in Texas is a very flawed, very weak, very — I think he’s a pathetic candidate, especially for Texas,” the president added. 
Talarico was slammed for his anti-meat views after a <a href="https://x.com/DaveMcCormickPA/status/2034091714726506920">video circulated</a> from 2022 when he said people should eat less meat to reduce “climate change” and said his state legislative campaign was “officially” a “non-meat campaign.” 
“It is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption, and that we try to respect animals in all aspects of society,” a masked Talarico said. “And so I am proud to say that our campaign has officially become a non-meat campaign. So we have, we are only buying vegan products from our local vegan businesses.”
In subsequent interviews, Talarico said that he denies “all accusations of veganism,&#8221; and claimed that his “campaign runs on barbecue.”
Trump’s comments also highlighted Talarico’s promotion of transgender ideology. He once claimed during a committee hearing that there are more than two sexes.
“The one thing I want us to all be aware of is that modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/04/26/texas-lawmaker-sparks-backlash-for-arguing-there-are-six-sexes/">said</a>, pointing to genetic abnormalities. “In fact, there are six.”
Talarico has also claimed that Christianity is pro-abortion and that God is “non-binary.”

MixCollage-15-May-2026-07-32-AM-7092

‘Six Genders.’ Vegan Flip-Flop. And A ‘Hit On Jesus.’ Trump Goes Scorched Earth On Dem.

Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico said Wednesday that his campaign had hauled in $27 million during the first quarter of 2026 as he seeks to flip the seat blue.
Talarico said the total marks a record for money raised by a Senate candidate in the first quarter of an election year. The leftist Democrat is set to face the winner of the GOP primary runoff between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
&#8220;Grassroots contributors from almost every county in Texas are sending Washington, D.C. a clear message: they&#8217;re tired of this broken, corrupt political system and they&#8217;re ready to take back Texas for working people,&#8221; Talarico said. &#8220;We&#8217;re bringing Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together to end billionaire control over our politics and bring down costs for families across our state.&#8221;
Talarico&#8217;s campaign said that 97% of contributions were $100 or less, adding that many of the donations came from teachers.
&#8220;Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources. The grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country,&#8221; said Talarico campaign manager Seth Krasne.
Large fundraising totals have not always translated into victories for Democrats in high-profile Senate races.
In 2018, Beto O&#8217;Rourke raised $38 million during the third quarter of his challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) but ultimately lost by about 2.6 percentage points.
In 2020, Democrat Jaime Harrison raised $57 million in the third quarter for his bid against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the highest quarterly total in Senate history, but lost by more than 10 percentage points.
Talarico, a state representative, has a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-james-talarico-says-he-loves-trans-children-in-unearthed-clip">reputation</a> for backing leftist policies on several social issues. During his time in the legislature, he has <a href="https://journals.house.texas.gov/HJRNL/88R/PDF/88RDAY63FINAL.PDF">opposed</a> legislation that restricted transgender medical procedures for minors, including a 2023 law addressing surgeries and cross-sex hormone procedures.
In April 2019, he also spoke out against a bill that would expand the definition of child abuse to include parents who do not affirm their child&#8217;s so-called gender identity.

Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Holds Campaign Rally In Houston On Eve Of Primary Election

Dem Blasts ‘Billionaire Control’ While Raking In Record $27M To Flip Red State

2026 Midterms

Supporters of Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) were divided by the news of Attorney General Pam Bondi&#8217;s ouster over whether Paxton should be considered for the national job or should remain in the fight to replace John Cornyn.
Paxton is currently in a heated Republican runoff with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, with President Donald Trump yet to issue an endorsement ahead of the May 26 contest. If Paxton were to be tapped for a national position and drop out of the race, it would effectively clear the field for Cornyn and set the general election matchup against Democrat James Talarico.
The Daily Wire could not confirm whether Paxton is actually being considered. Other names circulating in Republican circles include EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet also floated Paxton&#8217;s name, alongside others like Zeldin, Dhillon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought.
Kolvet said the next individual has &#8220;to be ruthless and smart and impossible to distract or slow down.&#8221; The spokesman for the conservative group said that he&#8217;s been told that former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who was Trump&#8217;s withdrawn pick for the role last year, is not &#8220;pursuing&#8221; the job.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With Bondi departing, I have a few people in mind to be the next AG, who&#8217;s your pick?
• Harmeet Dhillon 
• Lee Zeldin 
• Ken Paxton 
• Jeanine Pirro 
• Ron DeSantis 
• Russ Vought (but he&#8217;s great at OMB)
Has to be ruthless and smart and impossible to distract or slow down.…
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2039774655524004294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Online speculation intensified following posts from conservative commentators and political observers, many of whom <a href="https://x.com/RedEaglePatriot/status/2039776422366003312?s=20">argued</a> Paxton would have a greater impact as attorney general than as a U.S. senator.
“Bondi is OUT,” conservative influencer <a href="https://x.com/RedEaglePatriot/status/2039776422366003312?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Red Eagle Politics”</a> posted to X on Thursday. “Ken Paxton should be our next AG. He can make a massive impact in that role, whereas in the Senate he would just be one vote out of 100.&#8221;
The prediction market <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/kxnextag/next-ag/kxnextag-29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalshi</a> gives Paxton roughly a 4% chance of becoming Trump’s nominee, compared to 57% for Zeldin and 31% for interim Attorney General Todd Blanche.
One X post from Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan listed several names being discussed:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
People close to the White House are throwing around a lot of names for the next attorney general. Here’s a few of the names I’ve had mentioned to me today:
&#8211; Mike Lee 
&#8211; Harmeet Dhillon 
&#8211; Ashley Moody 
&#8211; Lee Zeldin 
&#8211; Eric Schmitt
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2039786402221584593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Others pointed out that the brutal nature of the primary, which has highlighted Paxton&#8217;s past personal and professional controversies, could complicate the potential confirmation process.
“I think there’s a non-zero chance Trump tries to replace Pam Bondi with Texas’s Ken Paxton and rams the vote through an otherwise hesitant Senate by promising that since Cornyn would then become the TX Senate nominee, odds to keep the chamber go up,” Michigan State University policy professor <a href="https://x.com/joshcowenMI/status/2039780397727309982?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Cowen</a> wrote on X.
Some conservatives pushed back on the Paxton buzz, <a href="https://x.com/ImFiredUp2/status/2039799088888053842?s=20">saying</a> he should remain in the Senate race to challenge Cornyn.
“Watch for the horse trading to put Ken Paxton up for AG thus making Cornyn the senator from Texas again,” conservative commentator <a href="https://x.com/ImFiredUp2/status/2039799088888053842?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chad Caton</a> wrote. “THIS CANT HAPPEN. We must rid ourselves of the power and influence that John Cornyn wields. Ken Paxton must be the next Senator from Texas.”
Democrats also suggested that Paxton could be the pick to take on the top law enforcement role in the Trump administration.
“Depending on how low he wants to go, I figure he goes with Ken Paxton to replace Bondi. Who is scummier than him? Plus he clears the field in Texas for Cornyn,” Democratic activist <a href="https://x.com/PaulJacobsMedia/status/2039751328604262871?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul Jacobs</a> posted to X.
“My prediction: with Pam Bondi out, Ken Paxton is next up. Yes, Texas’ scandal-ridden AG who’s currently tripping his way through a primary runoff against John Cornyn,” former liberal political strategist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sheajordansmith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shea Jordan Smith</a> wrote on Facebook. “They’d much rather send Cornyn into a general election than take a chance on Paxton, who’s radioactive enough to turn a winnable race into a problem… especially with James Talarico on the other side.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Paxton campaign for comment. The Cornyn campaign declined to comment.
When asked about Bondi&#8217;s status, the White House pointed to a Truth Social <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2039754354471686643?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> from Trump praising her for doing &#8220;a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our country.&#8221;

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Pam Bondi

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