John Cornyn Faces His Toughest Re-election Campaign Yet

A political shift in Texas means Republicans may have to work harder to keep their seats.

By Jill AmentFebruary 8, 2019 10:05 am

Third-term Texas Sen. John Cornyn may face a tougher reelection campaign than he’s used to in 2020.

Scott Bland, editor of Politico’s Campaign Pro and host of the Nerdcast, has been reporting on Cornyn’s fundraising efforts thus far. He says the political climate in Texas is becoming more liberal, and Cornyn is aware of that.

“He’s coming at this from a recognition that the Texas that he faces in 2020 politically is not the same one that he’s run in in the past,” Bland says. “And he’s revving up his campaign very early to try and deal with that.”

Bland says the presidential race will have a large impact on Cornyn’s chances.

“It’s going to be really interesting to see how Trump’s opponent and him set up in terms of this battle for Texas and other places in 2020,” Bland says. “That contrast at the top of the ticket is going to play a really, really big role.”

Despite the buzz surrounding Beto O’Rourke, Bland says it’s too early to tell who Cornyn’s challenger will be.

“It’s possible that O’Rourke is spent after an extremely grueling campaign over a year and a half against Cruz,” Bland says. “That means right now, the focus is all on Cornyn and him trying to do what he can to prevent someone from catching fire the way O’Rourke did.”

Written By Sol Chase.