John Cornyn

WASHINGTON – Ahead of Mother’s Day, John Cornyn launched his latest attack on Republican rival Ken Paxton with a searing runoff ad about adultery, deception and moral hypocrisy.

“Ken Paxton cheated on the mother of his children,” the narrator says over images of a rapidly decaying bouquet of flowers.

Allegations Paxton used a burner phone and aliases to hide his infidelity play against the backdrop of a lacy bra draped across a hotel room bed.

“Ken Paxton has the ethics of a strip club owner,” the narrator says. “Texas moms: Would you want your daughters to marry a man like Ken Paxton?”

The traditional “I approve this message” tagline is coupled with an image of Cornyn standing next to his wife, Sandy.

The Paxton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the digital ad, striking because it abandons policy differences and fires straight at Paxton’s turbulent personal life and marital troubles that have played out in public.

Texas politics has long been known for its hard-edge advertising, with candidates over the years slamming each other as drug users, money launderers and financial crooks. But the Cornyn spot stands out even in that tradition.

For his part, Paxton has tried to define Cornyn as an establishment Republican past his prime and at odds with President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again populism.

Cornyn edged Paxton in the March primary but finished short of the majority needed to avoid a May 26 runoff. The two sides have been trading attacks this week as the contest heats up.

Cornyn’s new ad is in keeping with his efforts to make the election a referendum on Paxton's character, suggesting that whatever their ideological differences, the attorney general is morally unfit for office.

Paxton has denied allegations of personal and professional wrongdoing. He has sought to focus the campaign on Cornyn’s past criticism of Trump and willingness to work with Democrats.

The Lone Star Liberty super PAC, which is supporting Paxton, launched an ad earlier this week bashing Cornyn as a Republican in name only who has overstayed his time in public office.

Cornyn has defended his record, saying some of his past comments have been taken out of context and highlighting how he has voted overwhelmingly with Trump.