# Bush and Cornyn back six GOP Senate candidates, snub Paxton

> Former President George W. Bush and Sen. John Cornyn hosted a Dallas fundraiser for Republican Senate candidates Monday, notably excluding Texas nominee Ken Paxton.
- Title: Bush and Cornyn back six GOP Senate candidates, snub Paxton
- Summary: Former President George W. Bush and Sen. John Cornyn hosted a Dallas fundraiser for Republican Senate candidates Monday, notably excluding Texas nominee Ken…
- Keywords: george w. bush, john cornyn, ken paxton, senate fundraiser, republican party, 2026 senate races, texas senate race, james talarico, maintain the majority, news, Bush, Cornyn
- Source: ABC News — https://abcnews.com/Politics/former-president-bush-sen-cornyn-part-fundraiser-battleground/story?id=136653085
- Author: ABC News
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: george w. bush, john cornyn, ken paxton, senate fundraiser, republican party, 2026 senate races, texas senate race, james talarico, maintain the majority, news
## Bush and Cornyn host GOP fundraiser
Former President George W. Bush and Sen. John Cornyn gathered Republican donors Monday night in Dallas for a fundraiser supporting six GOP Senate candidates in battleground races.
## Six candidates get support
The fundraiser backed Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Jon Husted of Ohio, former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa, former Sen. John Sununu of New Hampshire and Michelle Tafoya of Minnesota.
## Paxton notably excluded
Texas GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton, the thrice-elected attorney general who defeated Cornyn in the most expensive Senate primary in U.S. history, was not invited to the event.
## Establishment versus Trump divide
The exclusion reflects a split in the Republican Party. Bush donated five thousand dollars to Cornyn during the primary, while Paxton received endorsement from President Donald Trump and support from the MAGA base.
## Paxton closes fundraising gap
Paxton has received more than one hundred nine million dollars in outside spending, including money from the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. and the Elon Musk-funded America PAC, narrowing his deficit against Democratic candidate James Talarico.
## Cornyn backs Republican ticket
Although Cornyn has no plans to campaign for Paxton and has criticized him, the outgoing Texas senator said he plans to support the Republican ticket in November.
## Key takeaway

Bush and Cornyn raised money for six GOP Senate candidates in battleground states Monday, excluding Texas nominee Paxton, highlighting a divide between establishment Republicans and Trump's MAGA base.