The National Republican Senate Committee is calling on Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) to stop stoking speculation that he could run for Senate and back Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) upcoming reelection bid in a new memo to Hunt’s donors obtained exclusively by The Hill.
The committee refers to Hunt’s flirtation with a potential Senate bid in the Lone Star State as “a vanity project,” warning that his entrance into the GOP primary for the seat could “dilute” the party’s resources and ultimately cost the party control of the Upper Chamber.
The memo cites six separate polls conducted in August to demonstrate Cornyn trails Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) by an average of four points, arguing the race between the two Republicans is “a statistical tie.”
“The deficit is gone, but Wesley Hunt continues to cling to the false narrative he pushed as a justification for his own ambitions,” the memo reads.
“The path forward is clear: Wesley Hunt must stop wasting donor resources on Senate posturing, run for reelection in his new district, and help President Trump win the five additional seats in Texas that are critical to maintaining the Republican majority in the U.S. House,” it continues.
A number of polls released earlier this year showed Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002, trailing Paxton in many cases by double digits. However, polling also shows Paxton losing or narrowly winning next year’s general election against a Democrat, stoking concern among many Republicans. Additionally, Paxton, who has a history of recent legal troubles, has been grappling with the fallout from his divorce.
Hunt has been eyeing an opening in the bitter primary and has increasingly been making efforts to boost his image across the state. The congressman has placed $1.2 million in ad spending and reservations this, according to the ad tracking company AdImpact.
In one 30-second ad rolled out last month, Hunt touts his support for President Trump, his service in the army, and his conservative voting record. Hunt also released an ad touting his status as a family man with his wife and three children, stoking comparisons with Paxton.
Hunt spoke to the White House earlier this year about a potential bid. Trump told reporters last week that he remains undecided over Paxton and Cornyn. Cornyn and his allies have amplified recent polling showing a tighter race, given heightened campaigning and spending.
A Texas Southern University poll released last month showed Paxton holding a 5-point lead over Cornyn among likely primary voters, 44 percent to 39 percent. Another 17 percent said they were undecided. The last Texas Southern University poll released in May showed Paxton with a 9-point lead over Cornyn.
Meanwhile, an Emerson College poll released last month showed Cornyn leading Paxton 30 percent to 29 percent, with 5 percent saying they prefer another candidate and 37 percent saying they were undecided.
