Trump-Endorsed Ken Paxton Leads GOP Senate Fundraising with Massive $9 Million Haul
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton just delivered a major fundraising statement.
His campaign for U.S. Senate pulled in $9 million during the second quarter.
That figure makes Ken Paxton for Senate the top Republican non-incumbent Senate fundraiser in the country this cycle.
The Trump-endorsed nominee is now entering the final 100 days before the November election with serious momentum.
Most of the money arrived within a month of Paxton’s May 26 primary victory over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
The rapid influx shows strong consolidation of support after the primary.
Paxton’s haul outpaced every other top GOP Senate candidate.
Ohio’s Jon Husted raised $7.7 million.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins brought in $5.7 million.
North Carolina’s Michael Whatley raised $5 million.
Georgia’s Mike Collins and Alaska’s Dan Sullivan each raised about $2 million.
Paxton also shattered the previous Republican single-quarter record for a non-incumbent.
That record had been held by Cornyn himself at $9 million in the first quarter.
Some GOP operatives and big donors had worried during the primary that Paxton’s nomination might create a financial problem for the party.
Those concerns are now looking outdated.
Paxton is proving he can raise the resources needed to win.
In the general election he will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
Talarico’s campaign raised $30 million in the same period, according to Federal Election Commission data.
The Texas Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most expensive contests in the country.
Not every major Cornyn donor has switched sides yet.
Of the 100 donors who gave at least $50,000 to Cornyn during the primary, none had donated directly to Paxton through June 30.
High-profile names including members of the Perot family, Houston beer distributor John Nau, and Dallas real estate developer Harlan Crow have not yet moved their money to Paxton.
Cornyn has said he will not campaign for Paxton or help him raise funds.
During the primary Cornyn called his opponent a “con man.”
That lack of support from the former incumbent fits a familiar pattern.
Many MAGA voters long viewed Cornyn as a Republican In Name Only.
His refusal to back the clear primary winner only reinforces that view for many conservatives.
Polling shows a competitive race.
Decision Desk HQ currently rates the contest a toss-up, with Paxton holding a slight edge.
Paxton continues to consolidate Republican voters after his primary win.
The Trump endorsement remains a powerful asset in Texas.
Strong grassroots energy and a record fundraising quarter give the attorney general a solid foundation heading into the fall.
Texas is a critical seat.
Holding it is essential for Republican control of the Senate.
Paxton has shown he can raise the money and unite the base.
The final 100 days will determine whether that momentum carries him to victory in November.
Benjamin Harris is a RapidReports front page contributor and editor,proud father of four.
