Defiant GOP congressman rejects push by party bosses to drop out of Texas primary, scrambling race for Senate majority [View all]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Nov 23, 2025, 12:02 PM ET
PUBLISHED Nov 23, 2025, 7:01 AM ET


GOP leaders in Washington are ramping up pressure on Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt to drop out of the Texas Senate race, warning that his candidacy could cost their party tens of millions of dollars and even upend their midterm map. But a defiant Hunt told CNN in an interview that he is “absolutely” staying in the heated three-way race against long-time incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and firebrand Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, even as senior Republicans accuse him of being a “spoiler” in the race that is now all but certain to lead to a costly runoff.

Hunt, a 44-year-old combat veteran and two-term House member, revealed that he planned to officially file for the race this week, setting aside weeks of GOP speculation about whether he would continue with his insurgent Senate campaign or opt to stay in his Houston-area seat instead.

“If Senate leadership does not like me being in this race, you know what I say? Good, because Senate leadership does not pick the leadership in Texas,” Hunt said, insisting that he is the only candidate who can win both the primary and the general election without costing “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

“This is like a David and Goliath kind of story. I have a couple of smooth stones to throw at him, but guess what? They are very effective,” Hunt said, arguing the base is not with the 73-year-old Cornyn, who has held his seat since 2002. “The people of Texas are looking for an alternative, and it’s absolutely my job to give them one,” Hunt said.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/23/politics/hunt-texas-senate-race-cornyn-paxton