admin
When Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told The Chris Salcedo Show that Washington Republicans need to “stop messing with Texas,” he was speaking for millions of conservatives tired of an out-of-touch establishment deciding our politics from D.C. Paxton pushed back hard after reports that Senate leaders and other insiders have been leaning on President Trump to endorse Sen. John Cornyn — a move that reeks of political cronyism, not grassroots conservatism. The message was simple: Texans will pick their own leaders, and outsiders should keep their hands off.
Paxton’s primary challenge to Cornyn is not a parlor trick; it’s a full-fledged insurgency born of frustration with career politicians who put Washington’s priorities ahead of Texas values. He has positioned himself as a true MAGA ally and a fighter against federal overreach, reminding voters that loyalty to conservative principles matters more than tenure in the Senate. This race is one of the clearest examples yet of the grassroots reasserting itself against the permanent political class.
The push by GOP leadership to corral support for Cornyn is no secret — senators and party operatives have openly urged unity and privately asked the White House to intervene to protect an incumbent they view as reliable. It’s exactly the sort of backstage maneuvering that has driven so many voters away from the establishment and into the arms of candidates who actually fight for them. Washington’s insistence that it knows best is an insult to Texas voters who see the border crisis and government overreach firsthand.
President Trump has been courted by both sides, and his endorsement would be decisive — which is precisely why Cornyn wants it and why the establishment has been pounding the table. Trump has reportedly been approached about weighing in but has so far held back from anointing a candidate, a pause that shows wisdom in letting Texans make the choice rather than letting D.C. elites dictate outcomes. Conservatives should thank him for not rushing to hand victory to the same old Republican machine.
Make no mistake: the choice in Texas is about substance, not seniority. Paxton has repeatedly argued that Cornyn is part of an old guard too cozy with bipartisan deals and Capitol Hill backslapping, and many voters agree that longevity in office is no substitute for backbone. Washington’s donors and consultants may prefer predictability over principle, but rank-and-file conservatives want fighters who will actually defend the border, the Second Amendment, and the rule of law.
To my fellow conservatives: don’t let a handful of Beltway insiders steal another moment from the grassroots. If Washington wants to play kingmaker, send them a reminder that the people of Texas answer to no one in D.C. Our movement was built on shaking up the status quo, not preserving it, and Paxton’s stand is a necessary corrective to the arrogance of the Republican establishment.
Washington Republicans who think they can pick winners in Texas should remember what happens when they ignore the base — they get the very chaos and defeat they spent years claiming to prevent. It’s time for leaders in our party to stop begging for favor, start listening, and let Texans lead. The fate of the GOP in 2026 depends on whether we choose loyalty to conservative principles over loyalty to political lifers.
