Two Republican lawmakers in Texas who once endorsed John Cornyn are now fully behind Ken Paxton in the state’s tight Senate race, a shift that underscores how quickly the GOP field has consolidated around the attorney general.
Representatives Matt Shaheen of Prosper and Jeff Leach of Allen told www.cbsnews.com they are moving all-in for Paxton as he faces Democratic State Representative James Talarico. Both lawmakers are from Collin County, in Paxton’s home turf, and both say Republican voters have already made their preference clear.
“I think the Republican voters spoke loud and clear that they preferred Ken Paxton,” Shaheen said. “He won overwhelmingly in the primary. We need to motivate our base, make sure that the Republican base gets out.”
Leach framed the choice as a party-line mandate after the primary fight. “Primaries are a time for us to pick our roster, to pick our candidates, to kind of have our family fights if you will,” he said. “But once the slate is chosen, which the voters of Texas have done, it’s incumbent upon us and for all Republicans to get out and support the ticket from the top to the bottom.”
A sharp reversal after impeachment fights
The two lawmakers were among the 60 House Republicans who voted to impeach Paxton in May 2023, and Leach later served as an impeachment manager during Paxton’s Senate trial. Paxton was acquitted on all articles and denied wrongdoing throughout the process.
That history made the new alignment more striking, especially because Paxton campaigned against Shaheen and Leach in their Republican primaries after the impeachment battle. Leach said he had reached out to Paxton recently but had not heard back yet, while Shaheen said he had a brief conversation with the attorney general.
“It was brief. He’s busy as you can imagine,” Shaheen said. “But we had the opportunity to speak just for a couple of minutes, and we committed to support each other.”
Why they think Paxton can win
Shaheen and Leach both argued that Paxton is the stronger option for mobilizing Republican turnout in November. Shaheen said Paxton “has clearly demonstrated that he can get our Republican base out,” while Leach warned that sitting out the race would effectively help Talarico.
Shaheen also praised Paxton’s positions on issues he says matter to Republican voters. “Ken Paxton stands strong in protecting women’s privacy,” he said. “He stands strong in protecting our jobs and our economy.”
Paxton’s campaign advisor, Nick Maddux, responded with a statement thanking the two lawmakers for their support. “We are grateful for the support of State Representatives Shaheen and Leach,” he said. “We all share the same goal: keep Texas red from the top of the ticket all the way down.”
A race that remains extremely close
The Senate contest is still a dead heat in the most recent independent polling. The four latest polls taken between June 1 and June 21 show Paxton leading Talarico by 1.3 percentage points on average, 45.8% to 44.5%.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Lean Republican,” but the narrow polling margin suggests turnout and party unity could decide the outcome. Shaheen said Republicans in Collin County are planning a major get-out-the-vote effort as the campaign heads toward November.
Table: Latest poll snapshot in the Texas Senate race
| Candidate | Average Support | Polling Window | Cook Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Paxton | 45.8% | June 1 to June 21 | Lean Republican |
| James Talarico | 44.5% | June 1 to June 21 | Lean Republican |
The race now hinges on whether Republicans who once split over Paxton can close ranks in time to keep the seat in GOP hands. For Shaheen and Leach, that answer is now a public yes.
