AG Ken Paxton on US Senate: 'I don't know if I'm running for sure'

Will he or won't he? That's the question surrounding Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and a possible run for the U.S. Senate.

Paxton did an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson where he said he still hasn't decided if he'll run a primary campaign against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

What they're saying:

"I don't know if I'm running for sure. I'm looking at it," Paxton said. "Probably in the next few months I'll be talking to people around the state."

Cornyn has served in the US Senate since 2002 and Paxton said he'd never really faced a true primary challenge.

"Primary voters, if they're educated, will make good choices based on what you've actually done," Paxton said.

He went on to criticize Cornyn's voting record, saying he's "wrong about most everything."

"I'll bring out what he said about Trump and how disparaging he was against Trump in 2016 and just in this last election saying he shouldn't run and he's not the guy," Paxton said.

The backstory:

It's not the first time Paxton has teased a run for US Senate or criticized Cornyn.

While speaking to members of the Republican Party in Denton County last month, Paxton listed several Republicans, including Cornyn, that he'd like to see removed from the party for not being conservative enough.

"The second thing we need to do, and I might play a role in this, is replace John Cornyn in the U.S. Senate." Paxton said.

A source close to Paxton told FOX News Digital that the attorney general "plans to spend the next few months meeting with voters, donors and grassroots activists across the state to gauge interest and decide how he can serve Texas best."

A deciding factor for Paxton could be if his close ally and friend, President Donald Trump, would throw his support behind a primary challenge for Cornyn.

Paxton has hinted at a possible Senate run since he was acquitted in his 2023 impeachment trial.

Cornyn spoke out against Paxton ahead of the political trial, saying he was troubled by the allegations against the attorney general.

After his acquittal, Paxton turned his sights against Cornyn.

Paxton has consistently referred to Cornyn as a RINO, or a "Republican in name only."

John Cornyn

Cornyn has already announced his intention to run in 2026.

Cornyn has not lost an election in Texas.

He was elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 1990, won an attorney general race in 1998 and then defeated a crowded field to become US Senator in 2002.

READ MORE: Senator John Cornyn joins new Senate DOGE caucus

While in the Senate, Cornyn has served as both the majority and minority whip. He is currently the chair of the Senate Narcotics Caucus.

In recent months, he has also been a vocal supporter of Trump’s Cabinet picks and has slammed Democrats for delaying confirmations for key positions. In a speech on the Senate floor last month, he said, "Our first and most urgent task is to confirm President Trump's nominees for his Cabinet."

2026 Elections

What's next:

The 2026 elections will be important in Texas.

In addition to voting for US Senate, Texans will have an opportunity to vote for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, among several other positions.

Primary elections will be held in March with runoff elections in May.