U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt accused U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of running a “basement campaign” as Democrats moved ahead with a scheduled Senate primary debate, sharpening contrasts in Texas’ 2026 race.
Hunt, a Houston congressman seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, criticized Cornyn for declining multiple debate invitations, arguing that voters are being denied direct scrutiny of the incumbent’s record while candidates in the opposing party have already agreed to face each other publicly.
Paxton’s campaign also criticized Cornyn’s decision not to participate in debates, with a spokesman telling The Dallas Express that the senator had avoided public scrutiny.
In a statement to The Dallas Express, Hunt said Cornyn had turned down three debate offers and accused him of avoiding voters as millions of dollars are spent on television advertising.
“This is now the third debate offer that John Cornyn has declined,” Hunt stated to DX, adding that Cornyn “refuses to show up and defend his record.”
Hunt went on to accuse Cornyn of having an indefensible record on immigration, firearms legislation, and Afghan resettlement, and likened Cornyn’s approach to President Joe Biden’s campaign style, saying, “Like Biden, Cornyn is running a basement campaign, hiding from voters, avoiding real scrutiny, and hoping Texans won’t notice.”
Representatives for Hunt’s campaign told DX that his campaign sent a debate request that the Houston Chronicle agreed to host, but that Cornyn declined and Paxton did not immediately accept the invitation.
Emails reviewed by DX indicate discussions were underway regarding a potential debate between the candidates and several Fox affiliates in Texas.
Hunt’s representatives told DX that Paxton’s team requested more time to consider the offer, while Cornyn declined outright.
The Dallas Express planned to host its own debate among the three Republican candidates, but Cornyn declined to participate.
Nick Maddux, a Paxton campaign spokesman, told DX, “John Cornyn is afraid to debate because there’s no defense for his years of trying to stop President Trump from getting elected and opposing the border wall by calling it ‘naive’ and saying it ‘makes no sense whatsoever.’ His career has been marked by cowardice and selling us out every chance he gets, so it’s no surprise that he’s ending his career by refusing to show up to face the Texans he’s betrayed.”
The dispute over debates comes as Democrats in Texas’ Senate primary have agreed to their first face-to-face Senate debate.
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and state Rep. James Talarico of Austin are reportedly scheduled to debate on January 24 at a Texas AFL-CIO event in Georgetown.
Hunt has previously argued that voters should “hear directly from the candidates” rather than rely solely on paid advertising, a position he reiterated as criticism of Cornyn intensified, per The Texas Tribune.
Recent polling has shown a competitive three-way Republican primary, with no candidate near a majority. One J.L. Partners poll released in December showed Paxton leading with likely Republican voters at 29%, with Rep. Wesley Hunt and Cornyn tied at 24%, and the remainder undecided.
The Dallas Express reached out to Cornyn’s representatives for comment and did not receive a response.
