Texas Senate runoff sees surge of anti-Muslim rhetoric in campaign ads
Key takeaways
- John Cornyn, a US senator, after voting at the Circle C community center and Ken Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, during the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) on 27 March 2026.
- In the bitter and expensive US Senate runoff between John Cornyn, the incumbent, and Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, the state’s Muslim community has been a frequent target for campaign ads and legal challenges.
- Both candidates have tried to portray the other as either too soft on the supposed threat of Islam or insufficiently aggressive toward Muslim institutions.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
John Cornyn, a US senator, after voting at the Circle C community center and Ken Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, during the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) on 27 March 2026. Composite: The Austin American-Statesman, Bloomberg, Getty Images View image in fullscreen John Cornyn, a US senator, after voting at the Circle C community center and Ken Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, during the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) on 27 March 2026. Composite: The Austin American-Statesman, Bloomberg, Getty ImagesTexasAnalysisTexas Senate runoff sees surge of anti-Muslim rhetoric in campaign adsTyler HicksRunoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton features ads and legal disputes targeting Texas Muslims
In the bitter and expensive US Senate runoff between John Cornyn, the incumbent, and Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, the state’s Muslim community has been a frequent target for campaign ads and legal challenges.
Both candidates have tried to portray the other as either too soft on the supposed threat of Islam or insufficiently aggressive toward Muslim institutions.