Liam Donovan

I think

In the White House's ideal timeline, Ken Paxton doesn't get in.

I don't think there were entreaties from the White House or from the Trump operation to get him in to challenge Cornyn.

The problem is that he did it anyway, and it created a really difficult dynamic.

Because Paxton was his guy, too.

So he's got people competing for his affections in a way that the president obviously likes a great deal.

So Ken Paxton is the sitting attorney general of Texas.

He's been elected statewide a number of times.

So it's important to get out there.

It's not the Senate.

It's not the governor.

But he has been statewide elected.

And he has been statewide elected since carrying some of the political baggage that he does.

To the extent that he's known, it's largely because he has gotten into hot water a number of different times.

There was actually an impeachment effort, but there have been efforts at the state level to be rid of him.

He has prevailed.

He has prevailed in part by aligning himself with Donald Trump, being a leader on a number of the initiatives that the president cares a lot about from the

2020 election standpoint and otherwise.

So he has boosted his brand by wrapping himself in MAGA and donning the hat.

He threw himself into this race.