Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated longtime U.S.Senator John Cornyn in a closely watched Republican primary runoff, marking a significant shift within the state’s GOP and highlighting the continued influence of former President Donald Trump.

Cornyn, one of the most senior Republican figures in the Senate, lost to Paxton after the latter secured a late endorsement from Trump, which helped energize conservative voters.The race drew national attention as a test of establishment Republicans versus candidates aligned with Trump’s political movement.

Paxton framed his campaign as a challenge to party elites, appealing to grassroots conservatives despite ongoing controversies surrounding his tenure, including legal investigations and a prior impeachment battle.

With approximately 76% of votes counted on election night, Paxton led Cornyn by a wide margin of 28 percentage points, and the Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed.

Cornyn accepted the results and pledged to support the Republican ticket in the general election, while Paxton positioned his victory as the start of a broader effort to defend conservative values.He will now face Democratic state Representative James Talarico in November.The outcome raises questions about Republican prospects in the general election.Some party members worry that Paxton, seen as a more polarizing figure than Cornyn, could give Democrats an opening.However, Democrats face an uphill battle, as no Democrat has won statewide office in Texas in over 30 years.

Overall, the result underscores the growing dominance of Trump-backed candidates in Republican primaries and signals ongoing ideological shifts within the party at both the state and national levels.