First Thing: Trump-backed Ken Paxton ousts John Cornyn in Texas primary

Good morning. Ken Paxton, the scandal-ridden Texas attorney general who was backed by Donald Trump, beat the incumbent, John Cornyn, in the Republican primary runoff for senator, signaling how much sway the president still has in the deep red state. After the race was called, Cornyn said he would “support the GOP ticket” in the midterms, where Paxton will face James Talarico, a Democratic state legislator and Presbyterian seminarian. But the Texas attorney general comes with significant baggage: Paxton was impeached in 2023 after being accused of corruption, though he was later acquitted in a trial in the Texas senate where his wife was a state senator (but not allowed to cast a vote). He was also indicted on charges of felony securities fraud that could have led to a prison sentence, but the case was dismissed after a 2024 pre-trial diversion agreement. Last year, his wife filed for divorce “on biblical grounds”, citing adultery. And Paxton’s new opponent? As a Democrat, Talarico faces long odds in Texas, but has built a groundswell of popularity through his message of peace and populism. Ahead of the primary, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, a former Democratic candidate for the Senate and a partner at Ascend Strategy Labs , a social justice consulting firm in Austin, said that “if Ken Paxton becomes the candidate, Talarico has a shot”. …