Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) raked in $3.36 million between his campaign and political committees between July and September, ending the quarter with $10.5 million cash in the bank as he looks to beat back a formidable primary challenge next year, his campaign announced.
Cornyn is fighting for his political life, battling Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), who announced his entrance into the race on Monday.
The Republican senator has steadily been growing his war chest; he raised $3.9 million between his reelection campaign and political committee and ended that quarter with more than $8 million in the bank.
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In comparison, Paxton raised $2.9 million in the second quarter of fundraising this year and ended the quarter with $2.5 million in the bank. Paxton has not yet reported his third-quarter fundraising haul; candidates have until Oct. 15 to report those numbers.
Hunt will offer Republicans their first clues about his fundraising strength when he reports his figures by Jan. 15.
“Senator Cornyn is soaring in all available public polling after Ken Paxton’s summer from Hell,” Cornyn reelection campaign manager Andy Hemming said in a statement.
“We are grateful for the generous support of so many patriotic Texans and Americans who strongly believe President Trump needs John Cornyn fighting for their agenda in the U.S. Senate,” he added.
While earlier polling has shown Paxton comfortably trouncing Cornyn, the tide has turned in the GOP primary, with the GOP senator starting to close the gap. A polling average of surveys on the Texas Senate GOP primary compiled by Decision Desk HQ shows Cornyn narrowly ahead at 37 percent support to Paxton’s 36 percent.
But Hunt’s campaign could complicate Cornyn’s pathway as he also looks to peel off voters open to someone other than Paxton.