Texas GOP Primary: Hunt Declares Cornyn Must Step Down Like Biden

A report on Monday indicated that Rep. Wesley Hunt is cautioning Republicans not to repeat the Democratic Party’s error of remaining loyal to former President Joe Biden until it was too late.

Hunt, who entered the GOP primary race for Texas senator in October with the goal of unseating Sen. John Cornyn, likened the 73-year-old incumbent’s situation to that of Biden. The 44-year-old Hunt, first elected to the House in 2022, emphasized his strong connections to President Donald Trump as assets for his campaign.

“It literally is the exact same scenario,” Hunt told the report. “And even the Democrats had to realize that Joe Biden was getting ready to lose, and had to make a quick switch in the witching hour.”

Hunt stressed that he did not enter the race to criticize Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton but to provide Texans with a genuine conservative alternative capable of advancing the “America First” agenda. The GOP primary is scheduled for March 3, with a runoff on May 26 if no candidate secures a majority. Hunt’s recent entry has intensified tensions between Cornyn and Paxton, who both seek the nomination.

Cornyn recently filed an open records request to determine whether Paxton used taxpayer funds for trips to meet his alleged mistress in September. The Texas Attorney General is widely regarded as too scandal-ridden to win the primary. Paxton, impeached by the Texas House in 2023 and acquitted by the state Senate, also faces a pending divorce after his wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for separation on biblical grounds.

Cornyn’s campaign has criticized Hunt’s record, noting that he missed 27% of House votes this year when Trump needed a narrow majority to pass legislation. Senior adviser Matt Mackowiak described Hunt as “a show pony” who prioritizes podcasting and social media over legislative work. Hunt countered that his military background—having graduated from West Point and served as an Apache helicopter pilot—prepared him for the challenges of party politics.

“This is Texas, and Texas’s leadership will not be picked by the NRSC or anybody else,” he said. “The people of Texas are going to decide.” A December poll from J.L. Partners showed Paxton leading at 29%, while Cornyn and Hunt were tied at 24%. Hunt also noted that prominent Texas Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, the governor, and the lieutenant governor, have not endorsed any candidate in the primary.

“No one has endorsed a 20-year incumbent in this race,” Hunt said. “Everybody understands, but nobody wants to say it out loud: John Cornyn is done—and it’s time to move on.”