Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is dangling a dramatic exit from the state’s Senate primary runoff — but only if Republicans in Washington, D.C. are willing to blow up one of the chamber’s most entrenched rules.
Paxton said Thursday he would consider dropping out of the Republican runoff against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn if Senate GOP leaders agreed to abolish the filibuster and pass the Save America Act, a priority voting bill backed by President Donald Trump. The Texas Tribune reported that Paxton made the proposal in a social media post aimed squarely at Cornyn, accusing the longtime senator of hiding behind Senate procedure.
The Save America Act would require proof of citizenship — such as a birth certificate or passport — when registering to vote and mandate photo identification at the polls, among other election-related changes, according to the publication.
Cornyn has said he supports the legislation, but has long resisted calls to eliminate the filibuster, the parliamentary rule that effectively requires 60 votes to advance most legislation in the 100-member Senate. With Republicans holding 53 seats and Democrats unified against the proposal, the bill currently lacks the votes needed to move forward.
“I repeat what I have consistently said: I support the bill and have encouraged Senate Republicans to get it done,” Cornyn said Thursday, sidestepping whether he would support scrapping the filibuster to pass it.
Paxton’s offer appears largely symbolic, though it does highlight the pressure campaign surrounding Trump’s looming endorsement for either candidate, according to the outlet.
The attorney general forced Cornyn into a runoff after Tuesday’s primary and has spent the days since then urging Trump to back his insurgent bid. Trump, who stayed neutral in the first round, said Wednesday he plans to endorse a candidate “soon” and suggested the loser should exit the race “for the good of the Party.”
That dynamic has sparked an intense lobbying push from Cornyn and Senate Republican leadership, who argue the incumbent is better positioned to win the general election.
Prior to the social media post regarding the Save Act, Paxton signaled that he is not inclined to step aside. In an interview Thursday with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, he said he intends to stay in the race regardless of outside pressure.
“The people in Washington can have their own opinion,” Paxton said. “The president can have his own opinion. But I’ve been in this race for almost a year, and we’re going to win this race in the runoff.”
Speaking to Politico on Thursday, Trump warned the defiance could backfire.
“That is bad for him,” Trump said. “So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction.”
Behind the clash lies a broader Republican debate over the future of the filibuster, according to the publication. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other GOP leaders have shown little appetite for abolishing it, even as Trump and conservative activists push for more aggressive tactics to move legislation with a simple majority.
One workaround occasionally floated by Republicans is reviving the so-called talking filibuster, forcing opponents to hold the floor continuously to block a vote. But in practice, that approach could stall the Senate for weeks and open the door to unlimited Democratic amendments.
— Eric Weilbacher