John Cornyn

WASHINGTON – Texas politics has long had a rough-and-tumble streak, but the Republican Senate runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton has plunged into especially personal and cutting territory.

The attack ads have moved well beyond policy disputes, targeting scandals, marriages and loyalty to President Donald Trump.

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The contest has become the most expensive Senate primary in U.S. history, with more than $120 million spent on advertising by all candidates and allied groups. The winner of the May 26 runoff faces Democrat James Talarico in November.

That spending surge has intensified an already bitter ad war between the two Republicans. Here are some of the sharpest hits:

Cornyn

Burner phones: Released before Mother’s Day, the ad accuses Paxton of cheating on his wife and hiding affairs behind aliases and burner phones. The spot uses images of hotel rooms, lingerie and rapidly decaying flowers to mount a character attack aimed at evangelical and suburban voters.

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Voice of God: One of Cornyn’s most biting ads uses religious imagery and the Ten Commandments to frame Paxton as ethically rotten. It runs through years of personal and professional allegations against Paxton, invoking biblical admonitions not to steal, commit adultery or bear false witness. The ad concludes with a deep voice from beyond commanding voters: “Defeat the crook.”

Love Shack: Another Cornyn ad mocks Paxton’s personal conduct by portraying him in a kitschy parody of the B-52s' “Love Shack,” including AI-generated imagery of a Paxton-like figure partying with women. It portrays Paxton as a tabloid figure consumed by personal chaos, hypocrisy and moral recklessness.

Paxton

Dance partners: The Paxton ad draws inspiration from Cornyn saying in 2024 he had offered to be a “dance partner” for Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas on an anti-drug bill. The ad shows an AI-generated video of Cornyn and Crockett lookalikes dancing together, suggesting the senator has become too cozy with liberals.

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Spring break: The ad, first dropped during the Easter congressional recess, depicts a fake Cornyn relaxing on the beach and enjoying a water park. It accuses him of going on vacation rather than working on Trump’s priorities, such as passing tougher voter ID requirements. The ad mirrors criticism of Cornyn as not fully dedicated to Trump’s agenda.

Old guard: The Paxton ad shows a decades-long time lapse of Cornyn that starts in 1984 when he was first elected to public office as a state district judge in Bexar County. It asks viewers whether they can name a single thing he’s done for them during his time as a public official and quotes Trump criticisms of Cornyn. The spot portrays Cornyn as washed up and disconnected from conservative causes.