AUSTIN, Texas — AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton is gearing up for a possible U.S. Senate run whereas now not shadowed by a federal corruption investigation that hung over his rising profile within the Republican Celebration.
That sturdiness could be examined towards Republican Sen. John Cornyn ought to Paxton embark on what would doubtless be one of many nation’s most contentious 2026 main battles.
Paxton, a detailed ally of President Donald Trump, has hinted at difficult Cornyn for greater than a 12 months however has not stated when he’ll decide.
Within the last weeks of the Biden administration, the Justice Division determined to not pursue its investigation into Paxton over bribery allegations, in keeping with two folks aware of the matter who spoke to The Related Press on the situation of anonymity to debate inner deliberations.
Although the date of the choice was not instantly clear, it was made within the last weeks of the President Joe Biden’s presidency, one of many folks stated.
The accusations had been arguably probably the most critical of a number of authorized troubles Paxton has confronted since changing into legal professional normal in 2015, together with felony securities fraud costs that hovered over him for almost a decade earlier than he agreed to pay almost $300,000 in restitution charges. The legal professional normal additionally confronted an investigation by the Texas State Bar for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election outcomes.
Paxton characterised the investigation as a “bogus witch hunt” in a social media publish on X responding to the information Thursday. He additionally tacked on a contemporary barb towards Cornyn.
“Care to remark now, John?” Paxton posted.
Paxton declined an interview request by means of a spokesperson Thursday.
Spokespeople for Cornyn didn’t instantly reply to cellphone and e-mail requests searching for remark.
The quiet dismissal underscores Paxton’s political resiliency and ascendency amongst his social gathering’s hard-right in recent times whereas additionally doubtlessly giving his opponents much less fodder for political assaults.
“There aren’t any extra clouds over him,” stated Invoice Miller, a longtime Texas lobbyist and buddy of Paxton.
Paxton has focused Cornyn because the senator grew to become one in all few outstanding Republicans to criticize him. Cornyn, who helped push a bipartisan gun management invoice after the 2022 mass capturing at an Uvalde elementary faculty, additionally beforehand got here below criticism from conservative activists who’ve pushed the social gathering’s agenda farther to the correct.
Cornyn, who additionally served as Texas legal professional normal, has served within the Senate since 2002 and is a well-liked member of the GOP convention. However Cornyn misplaced to South Dakota Sen. John Thune in a detailed bid to develop into Senate majority chief. If Paxton enters the race, it’ll doubtless be the senator’s best main marketing campaign up to now.
In 2020, eight of Paxton’s closest aides accused him of utilizing his workplace to learn a Texas actual property developer who employed a girl Paxton was having an extramarital affair with. He was impeached and acquitted within the Texas Senate in 2023.
Nate Paul, the true property developer, pleaded responsible in January to federal costs for mendacity to banks to obtain tens of millions of {dollars} in loans.
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Related Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. Lathan is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points.
