Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX) standing with Republican primary voters in Texas has reportedly now cratered, according to new polling that shows the longtime senator now deeply underwater with his own party’s base — and trailing badly against two conservative challengers.
Cornyn’s favorability has fallen to just 35%, while 51% of GOP primary voters now view him unfavorably. Even worse for the four-term senator, a staggering 28% say they hold a “very unfavorable” view of him — a devastating number for an incumbent who has represented Texas in Washington since 2002. Cornyn is currently advised by establishment strategist Chris LaCivita, whose RINO reputation isn’t helping reassure conservative voters.
In a three-way primary matchup, Cornyn is stuck at 25%, trailing both Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at 36% and Rep. Wesley Hunt at 26%. Despite spending more than $40 million on his campaign, Cornyn sits dead last in a race for an office he has held for more than two decades.
SCOOP: Just got a hold of an internal Hunt superPAC memo that has Cornyn in free fall pic.twitter.com/438cbLb6wZ
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) November 24, 2025
Head-to-head numbers are even more brutal:
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Paxton leads Cornyn 51%–34%
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Hunt leads Cornyn 52%–29%
Notably, even a hypothetical endorsement from President Donald Trump — typically a game-changer in Texas GOP politics — fails to significantly lift Cornyn’s numbers. The message from voters is clear: the base has moved on.
Cornyn’s decline has been rapid. Earlier in November, he sat at 44% favorable. Now he has dropped nine points while opposition has hardened. Meanwhile, Hunt maintains a strong net-positive favorability rating, and Paxton — a conservative favorite after defeating a politically motivated impeachment effort — continues to dominate with overwhelming support from grassroots Republicans.
With Texas GOP voters increasingly rejecting establishment Republicans in favor of fighters who align with the America First agenda, Cornyn has become a symbol of the old guard — and appears to be paying the political price.
If the election were held today, polling suggests Cornyn would lose decisively to either Paxton or Hunt.
