Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running against incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in a heated special runoff election for the Republican nomination, called Cornyn “a coward” for not actively pushing for the Senate to cancel recess until the SAVE Act, the GOP’s voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bill, is passed. (President Trump has said he won’t sign any legislation until the act is passed.)
When Paxton wrote of Cornyn: “Why is it always so hard for Cornyn to have the courage to do what’s right?” the Senator replied, “Doing what is right? Coming from a corrupt, self entitled, serial philanderer, that is rich. Judgement Day is coming.”
Doing what is right? Coming from a corrupt, self entitled, serial philanderer, that is rich. Judgement Day is coming. https://t.co/glegXxdnWN
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) March 23, 2026
Cornyn’s response to Paxton — which doesn’t address the recess or Save Act — is being met with criticism on X, where Cornyn is often portrayed as a RINO by MAGA adherents for whom he is not sufficiently on board with Trumpism. As one replied: “If you fail to rally @LeaderJohnThune and @SenateGOP on this, you will 100% lose your reelection.”
Note: On Sunday, President Trump reportedly rejected Senate Majority Leader John Thune‘s offer to fund DHS without ICE, saying he’d fund ICE in a reconciliation package. According to various reports, Trump “wants Rs fighting Dems over DHS funding and the SAVE Act.”
As seen below, Cornyn today is amplifying a message from fellow GOP Senator Jon Husted (R-OH), who said at a press conference: “Requiring Americans to show photo ID before voting will restore trust in our nation’s elections.”
Cornyn added: “And @SenSchumer said Ds are for it. We’ll find out soon.”
And @SenSchumer said Ds are for it. We’ll find out soon. https://t.co/JPwp5NIR3D
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) March 23, 2026