Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Friday that he represents a generational and ideological contrast to incumbent Sen. John Cornyn as he campaigns for the Republican nomination for the Senate in a three-way primary that also includes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
"We're just trying to have a little fun," Hunt, 44, said on "American Agenda," referring to a new campaign ad accusing Cornyn of partnering "with gun control, amnesty, and allowing 50,000 Afghan migrants into this country."
The ad concludes: "Vote like a Democrat. Act like a Democrat. Must be a Democrat."
But Hunt said his core message is serious ahead of the March 3 primary.
"I think it's time for us to have a true conservative serving in the halls of the Senate, and John Cornyn is clearly just not that guy," he said. "When you've been around for 24 years, that is long enough."
Cornyn, first elected in 2002, is seeking a fifth term at age 74.
The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Paxton leading Cornyn by 2 percentage points, 29.8% to 27.8%, with Hunt at 19.5%.
Hunt said voters across Texas repeatedly thank him "for committing to term limits."
"I'm going to do two terms, 12 years. That is it.
"That is absolutely long enough. The United States Senate is not a retirement community," he said.
A West Point graduate and combat veteran in the Army Aviation Branch, Hunt added: "I flew 55 combat missions in Baghdad. I'm somebody that's willing to die for this country and die for Texas."
If elected, Hunt said he wants to be "the energy senator of the entire world," calling oil and natural gas development "an issue of national security" and vowing to focus on "unleashing American energy" and "codifying President Trump's agenda in the halls of the Senate."
Turning to the Democrats, Hunt dismissed concerns about Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Rep. James Talarico.
"The best thing about me is I'm actually already pulling ahead ... in the general election, regardless of who I run against," he said. "Come one, come all."
Hunt added, "Quite personally, I would love to debate Jasmine Crockett," while predicting he would "perform very well against either one of them" in November.
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