THE PAXTON FILES:...Fresh Off His Trial Victory, The A.G. Now Wants Cornyn's Job...

 

By EDUARTDO PAZ-MARTINEZ

AUSTIN, Texas | Well, he won the last big one. Why shouldn't Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton go for the gold? I mean, coming off a dramatic impeachment trial orchestrated by some of his own political party brethren! Who can blame the cocky A.G. for dreaming of higher ground?

The 60-year-old Paxton, a Republican man about town here, what with that salacious sexual affair with a younger Babe that sort of also hit the trial dial, wants John Cornyn's job - U.S. Senator from the lately oft-besmirched Lone Star State.

Cornyn is Big Time, having first been elected in 2002 and is currently serving his fourth six-year term. That gray-haired cat is no slouch. Not even all-this-and-that Beto O'Rourke has dared to challenge Cornyn.

But as we wrote a few days ago, after the trial that saw cocky Paxton acquitted, to the victors go the spoils. With that in mind, Paxton likely feels quite invincible now. We do wonder what Republican Gov. Greg Abbott would say about that. He and Cornyn (shown in photo below) are said to be great pals.

In any case, this excerpt from politico.com: [ Paxton on Wednesday alleged without evidence that the Biden administration, working in cahoots with certain Texas Republicans, was behind the failed attempt to impeach him on charges of bribery and corruption.

In his first remarks since being acquitted by the Texas Senate on Saturday on 16 articles of impeachment, Paxton blasted fellow conservatives who he believes betrayed him and the party, including House Speaker Dade Phelan, former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and the all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals.

Paxton excoriated Cornyn as a poor representative for Texans and said a strong candidate needs to challenge him in 2026 - adding that he may be the man to do so. "Everything’s on the table for me," he said when the Fox News host suggested he should run. Paxton was particularly critical of what he said was Cornyn’s failure to protect Texas from undocumented immigrants. ]

It's easy to speak out against a political opponent at the outset of any would-be campaign. But Paxton isn't used to losing. He's been Attorney General since 2015, plus he likes to say he counts on the only Republican that matters - Donald J. Trump.

We like the idea of Paxton challenging the staid Cornyn. A little wild drama in such a sparked race would do wonders for today's itchy voters, especially in a party primary, which is where these two would settle things.

John Cornyn, a 71-year-old man of few words, has said nothing about reelection in 2026, or about the forward-looking, trash-talking Paxton.

It would be a nice intra-family knockdown/drag-out, yes...

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