Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) watched with alarm when Beto O’Rourke nearly won Texas’ other Senate seat last year — alarmed that it could be him on the losing end when he’s up in 2020.
Determined not to get caught off-guard by shifting demographics and fired-up Democrats, Cornyn is revving up his reelection campaign earlier than ever after O’Rourke’s near upset over Sen. Ted Cruz. Cornyn has already stockpiled more campaign cash than any other senator: $5.8 million. He’s filling high-level campaign jobs. And crucially, Cornyn secured early endorsements from Cruz and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, two of the most prominent conservatives in the state, in a show of force to prevent a primary challenge.
It’s all part of Cornyn’s resolve not to become the first statewide Republican casualty in rapidly-changing Texas. He won reelection by nearly 30 points in 2014, but the three-term senator saw Democrats reemerge as a force in the state last year — aside Cruz’s near-death scare, two GOP congressmen in once-safe seats lost. And Republicans barely survived in another handful of House districts once safely in the GOP column.
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