Ken Paxton faces fundraising shortfall in Texas Senate primary
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 5
Ken Paxton faces fundraising shortfall in Texas Senate primary
10 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 5
The Texas attorney general said he needed about $20 million to unseat Senator John Cornyn, but several past major donors have stayed out or backed Cornyn instead.
Billionaire West Texas oilmen and other wealthy supporters who once spent heavily on Paxton's attorney general campaigns have contributed little to his Senate bid or allied political action committee.
The gap highlights a Republican split between business-oriented conservatives and the hard right, even as Paxton remains competitive before the May 26 runoff despite his financial disadvantage.
Why are wealthy donors abandoning a front-runner's campaign despite his strong polling numbers?
Can free media exposure truly overcome a massive fundraising disadvantage in a modern Senate race?