Hunt Enters Texas GOP Senate Primary, Aligns With Trump

Rep. Wesley Hunt, a 43-year-old Army veteran and two-term Houston-area congressman, announced he is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Texas against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Hunt, who presents himself as a MAGA-friendly ally of former President Trump, has spent months building statewide recognition through affiliated groups that spent roughly $6 million and by placing his own ad buys. He is pitching a campaign focused on families, energy, border security and public safety. His entry drew sharp condemnation from Cornyn’s campaign, the NRSC and the Senate Leadership Fund and defied Senate GOP leaders who warned his bid could dilute resources and force a costly runoff. Polling shows Paxton with an edge in some surveys while Cornyn has recently closed the gap, making the race likely to be one of the most expensive and bruising GOP primaries of 2026. President Trump has not yet endorsed.