Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in an attempt to enhance his MAGA credentials, brought on former Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio to head the polling operations for his reelection bid next year, Politico reported.
The moves comes as Cornyn is digging in for a fight against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who last month announced he will challenge Cornyn in next year's Republican primary.
Cornyn on Wednesday also announced other members of his senior campaign team, including Andy Hemming, a former senior adviser for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's 2022 campaign, as campaign manager, The Texas Tribune reported.
Hemming also has connections to President Donald Trump's political network dating to his 2016 campaign.
Cornyn's longtime political aide, Rob Jesmer, will remain in his current position as general consultant. Jesmer has advised Cornyn since he managed the senator's 2008 reelection, also serving as executive director of the Senate GOP campaign arm when Cornyn chaired the committee, according to The Texas Tribune.
In a statement, Cornyn said he will run "an aggressive campaign that clearly frames the choice for Texas Republican primary voters."
"I am pleased to have a dedicated team of elite professionals running this campaign," Cornyn said. "We will accurately convey my record in the U.S. Senate and make sure that Texans understand the character and record of my opponents. It's going to be a long, miserable 10 months for Ken Paxton."
Paxton, a conservative firebrand, is positioning himself as a disruptor against the Republican establishment he said is embodied by Cornyn, Politico reported
GOP senators reportedly want to make sure that Paxton does not cause the damage to the party and are urging Trump to endorse Cornyn.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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