Bush donates $5K to Cornyn Senate reelection bid

Former President George W. Bush contributed $5,000 to Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) reelection bid as the incumbent fights for his political life against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), according to campaign finance filings released Wednesday. 

Bush gave $3,500 for Cornyn’s primary race and $1,500 to use in the general election. Individuals are allowed to give a maximum of $3,500 to candidate committees per election. 

Paxton had not yet filed his campaign filings for the first quarter of 2026 at the time of publication. Candidates have until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. to submit their fundraising hauls for the first quarter, spanning January to March.

Paxton and Cornyn are locked in a bitter Senate GOP runoff after neither candidate won more than half the vote outright in a March primary. A polling average of Texas Senate GOP primary runoff surveys compiled by Decision Desk HQ shows Paxton narrowly ahead at 45 percent to Cornyn’s 43 percent.  

Cornyn’s campaign reported raising $1.7 million in the first quarter, with close to $5 million in the bank. Between his campaign and political committees, the GOP senator has raised close to $9 million in total for the first quarter, starting off the second quarter with more than $8 million in the bank that can be used in the primary runoff.

“Our campaign works every day to execute our strategy to win the runoff on May 26. A disastrous nominee like Ken Paxton risks our strong Texas House majority and numerous congressional seats,” Cornyn campaign manager Andy Hemming said in a statement touting the senator’s numbers.  

“Sen. Cornyn is our strongest nominee, he is one of President Trump’s most effective legislative partners, and our voters will fully understand the choice in this runoff election over the next seven weeks,” Hemming added. 

On the other side of the aisle, Texas Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico’s campaign said Wednesday it had raised over $27 million between January and March.  

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