Trump fundamentalists are weighing up bids to oust Senate Republicans who have dared to cross the president, Axios reports.
The planned move, in states like Texas and North Carolina, could spark a MAGA civil war—but the president’s most fervent acolytes see it as a necessary risk, despite the chance of far-right challengers flopping at a general election.
“MAGA is sick of RINOs (Republican in Name Only), especially in states Trump won. And in a state like Texas, it’s inexcusable,” far-right political activist and commentator Jack Posobiec told Axios.
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Posobiec’s anger is shared by much of the MAGA base. The movement called for Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s head when the 72-year-old broke with Trump’s platform to support aid for Ukraine and a bipartisan gun reform bill in the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
His challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 62, disparaged Cornyn as a “Republican in name only,” and accused the congressman of “betraying” Trump.
Cornyn has responded to a Paxton charm offensive on Trump with overtures of his own. This included him posting a picture on X of him reading the president’s 1987 book, The Art of the Deal.
But the MAGAverse is rallying behind the challenger, unconvinced that Cornyn will do Trump’s bidding. Paxton already has far-right podcaster Charlie Kirk’s backing, and Kirk has Trump’s ear.
Steve Bannon has also given him the nod. He told Axios that he, like Kirk, plans to have Paxton on his show. He slammed Cornyn as the “epitome of the establishment.”
Ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz has also endorsed Paxton, but some top Republicans reportedly aren’t hot on the controversial figure—who was impeached by the state House on bribery and corruption charges in 2023. He was later acquitted by the state Senate.
Polling, however, shows Paxton “creaming” the incumbent. Punch Bowl News used that term in reporting that the GOP-backed super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, shows Cornyn trailing Paxton by 16 points in its polling.
In a three-way race with Rep. Wesley Hunt, Paxton commanded 44 percent to Cornyn’s 34. Hunt, who is considering a run, got 19 percent, insiders who have seen the details said.
However, there are fears for Paxton when it comes to a general election. Polling shows he was down 1 percent, Punch Bowl said. Cornyn leads Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who is considering a run, by 6 points. Hunt was up by 4.
SLF Communications Director Chris Gustafson was clear whom the PAC is backing, saying that “Texans only need one quick look at Paxton’s record before his support plummets.” He went on: “It‘s clear he would risk delivering the Senate majority to Chuck Schumer.”
Trump has stayed silent on the matter so far, choosing not to endorse anyone publicly. He needs Cornyn’s support to pass his legislative agenda.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the president’s silence could also be a plan to keep Senate Republicans in check.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis is also a target for primary challengers, as is Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy—who voted to impeach the president after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots in 2021. Louisiana, however, is a safer bet for Republicans, with the Democrats preparing strong candidates in Texas and North Carolina.
Tillis infuriated the MAGA movement earlier this month when he opted against a vote to confirm Ed Martin as Washington’s top prosecutor.
“I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6,” he gave as his reasoning.
The comment was a reference to Martin’s support for the Jan. 6 insurrectionists and his move to demote prosecutors who oversaw cases linked to the invasion of the Capitol in 2021.
“What Thom and his consultants don’t realize is that MAGA voters will stay at home in the GENERAL when he votes like this. Never take MAGA for granted,” Charlie Kirk warned in response.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has urged caution as Trump weighs up rolling the dice. He has reportedly encouraged the president to “get behind his members,” as Axios put it.
“I think the president’s got his own timetable, but obviously we’re consulting with him and his team, and trying to ensure that we have the best candidates on the field that we think are going to be successful, not only in primary elections, but in general elections,” Thune said.
“I just think for him it’s a function of, in some cases, in some of the states, he’s not ready to move yet.”
Harrison Fields, a Trump spokesman, said the president is merely focused on his America-first agenda.
