Changes

|birth_date=February 2, 1952

|birth_date=February 2, 1952

|birth_place=[[Houston, Texas]], USA

|birth_place=[[Houston, Texas]], USA

|office=[[United States Senator]] from Texas

|office=Senior [[United States Senator]]<br>from [[Texas]]

|term_start=December 2, 2002

|term_start=December 2, 2002

|preceded=[[Phil Gramm]]

|preceded=[[Phil Gramm]]

|office2=Texas State Attorney General

|office2=Texas State [[Attorney general|Attorney General]]

|term_start2=January 1999

|term_start2=January 1999

|term_end2=December 2, 2002

|term_end2=December 2, 2002

|preceded2=Daniel C. "Dan" Morales

|preceded2=Daniel C. "Dan" Morales

|succeeded2=[[Greg Abbott]]

|succeeded2=[[Greg Abbott]]

|office3=Associate Justice of<br> the Texas Supreme Court

|office3=Associate Justice of<br>the Texas Supreme Court

|term_start3=January 2, 1991

|term_start3=January 2, 1991

|term_end3=October 18, 1997

|term_end3=October 18, 1997

|preceded3=Franklin Spears

|preceded3=Franklin Spears

|succeeded3=Deborah Hankinson

|succeeded3=Deborah Hankinson

|office4=Judge of the Texas<br> 37th Judicial District Court

|office4=Judge of the Texas<br>37th Judicial District Court

|term_start4=January 1, 1985

|term_start4=January 1, 1985

|term_end4=January 1, 1991

|term_end4=January 1, 1991

}}

}}

'''John Cornyn, III''' (born February 2, 1952, in [[Houston, Texas]]), is the [[Moderate Republican]] senior [[United States Senator]] from [[Texas]]. He is considered a leader in the [[RINO]] wing of his party in contrast to his more [[conservative]] colleague, [[Ted Cruz]].

'''John Cornyn, III''' (born February 2, 1952, in [[Houston, Texas]]) is the [[Moderate Republican]] senior [[United States Senator]] from [[Texas]]. He is considered a leader in the [[RINO]] wing of his party in contrast to his more [[conservative]] colleague, [[Ted Cruz]]. Despite being a globalist [[RINO Backer]], he was not a [[Never Trumper]], with [[FiveThirtyEight]] claiming that he was in line with the president over 90% of the time.<ref>[https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/john-cornyn/ Tracking Congress In The Age Of Trump]. ''FiveThirtyEight''</ref>

==Early life==

==Early life==

John Cornyn III was born in 1952 to John Cornyn II and Atholene Dale Cornyn. His father was an air force officer, and he attended a high school in Japan at a U.S. base after his family moved there.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Cornyn John Cornyn]</ref>

John Cornyn III was born in 1952 to John Cornyn II and Atholene Dale Cornyn. His father was an air force officer, and he attended a high school in Japan at a U.S. base after his family moved there.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Cornyn John Cornyn]</ref>

Cornyn is a graduate of Trinity University and St. Mary’s School of Law (both in [[San Antonio]] in Bexar County) and earned a Masters of Law from the [[University of Virginia]] Law School in Charlottesville. He was a state district court judge in Bexar County from 1985 to 1991.

Cornyn is a graduate of Trinity University and St. Mary's School of Law (both in [[San Antonio]] in Bexar County) and earned a Masters of Law from the [[University of Virginia]] Law School in Charlottesville. He was a state district court judge in Bexar County from 1985 to 1991.

==Political career==

==Political career==

In 1990, Cornyn was elected to the Texas Supreme Court. In 1998, he was elected state attorney general. After Republican Senator Phil Gramm announced his retirement Cornyn entered the race to succeed him, and defeated the Democratic nominee, [[Mayor]] Ron Kirk of [[Dallas]], a liberal [[African-American]]. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2008 and in 2014, defeated conservatives [[Steve Stockman]] and [[Dwayne Stovall]] in the Republican senatorial primary for his third six-year term. Cornyn serves on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Budget Committee, Finance Committee, and Judiciary Committee.  

In 1990, Cornyn was elected to the Texas Supreme Court. In 1998, he was elected state attorney general. After Republican Senator Phil Gramm announced his retirement Cornyn entered the race to succeed him, and defeated the Democratic nominee, [[Mayor]] Ron Kirk of [[Dallas]], a liberal [[African-American]]. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2008 and in 2014, defeated conservatives [[Steve Stockman]] and [[Dwayne Stovall]] in the Republican senatorial primary for his third six-year term. Cornyn serves on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Budget Committee, Finance Committee, and Judiciary Committee.  

In 2017, Cornyn holds the No. 2 position in the U.S. Senate, called the "Majority Whip." His Senate seat was once held by [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], Johnson's permanent successor, [[John Tower]], the first Republican senator from Texas since [[Reconstruction]], and [[Phil Gramm]], Cornyn's predecessor from 1985 to 2002.

In 2017, Cornyn was named to the No. 2 position in the U.S. Senate, called the "Majority Whip." His Senate seat was once held by [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], Johnson's permanent successor, [[John Tower]], the first Republican senator from Texas since [[Reconstruction]], and [[Phil Gramm]], Cornyn's predecessor from 1985 to 2002.

===RINO leanings===

===RINO leanings===

Although somewhat conservative in his first term,<ref>In 2006, ''The National Journal'' ranked Cornyn as the fourth most conservative Senator. [http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=con_composite&o2=desc]</ref> Cornyn today is largely controlled by Republican Party moderates and liberals.

Although somewhat conservative in his first term,<ref>In 2006, ''The National Journal'' ranked Cornyn as the fourth most conservative Senator. [http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=con_composite&o2=desc]</ref> Cornyn today is believed to be largely controlled by Republican Party moderates and liberals.  However, his voting record indicates that he and his colleague from [[Texas]], [[Ted Cruz]] (who, unlike Cornyn, is not considered a [[RINO]]), tend to vote the same way.

====Todd Akin====

====Todd Akin====

:''See also: [[Rino Backers]]''

:''See also: [[RINO Backers]]''

As the chairman of the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] in 2012, Senator Cornyn pulled $5 million in spending out of the toss-up [[Missouri]] race because the embattled [[pro-life]] nominee, [[Todd Akin]], spoke out too much for the [[unborn]].  

As the chairman of the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] in 2012, Senator Cornyn pulled $5 million in spending out of the toss-up [[Missouri]] race because the embattled [[pro-life]] nominee, [[Todd Akin]], spoke out too much for the [[unborn]].  

====Russell Voight====

====Russell Vought====

In October 2017, Cornyn announced he would block the confirmation of Russ Vought, a strong conservative, to the important position of Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget because he wanted the federal government to appropriate even more money than it already had for the state of Texas after a hurricane.<ref>Wegmann, Philip (October 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-cornyn-holds-top-white-house-nominee-for-ransom/article/2638199 John Cornyn holds top White House nominee for ransom]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Pandolfo, Chris (October 20, 2017). [https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/john-cornyn-holds-conservative-nominee-hostage-for-swamp-kickback John Cornyn holds conservative nominee hostage for Swamp kickback]. ''Conservative Review''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Swan, Jonathan (October 19, 2017). [https://www.axios.com/john-cornyn-holds-up-top-white-house-nominee-2498698528.html John Cornyn holds up top White House nominee]. ''Axios''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Brian, Darling (October 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/23/darling-john-cornyn-holds-trumps-omb-pick-hostage-extract-petty-revenge-conservatives/ Darling: John Cornyn Holds Trump’s OMB Pick Hostage to Extract Petty Revenge on Conservatives]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 23, 2017.</ref>

In October 2017, Cornyn announced he would block the confirmation of [[Russell Vought]], a strong conservative, to the important position of Deputy Director of the [[Office of Management and Budget]] because he wanted the federal government to appropriate even more money than it already had for the state of Texas after a hurricane.<ref>Wegmann, Philip (October 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-cornyn-holds-top-white-house-nominee-for-ransom/article/2638199 John Cornyn holds top White House nominee for ransom]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Pandolfo, Chris (October 20, 2017). [https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/john-cornyn-holds-conservative-nominee-hostage-for-swamp-kickback John Cornyn holds conservative nominee hostage for Swamp kickback]. ''Conservative Review''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Swan, Jonathan (October 19, 2017). [https://www.axios.com/john-cornyn-holds-up-top-white-house-nominee-2498698528.html John Cornyn holds up top White House nominee]. ''Axios''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Brian, Darling (October 23, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/23/darling-john-cornyn-holds-trumps-omb-pick-hostage-extract-petty-revenge-conservatives/ Darling: John Cornyn Holds Trump’s OMB Pick Hostage to Extract Petty Revenge on Conservatives]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 23, 2017.</ref>

===Upcoming 2020 U.S. Senate election in Texas===

===Embracing Amnesty===

In the primary held on March 3, 2020, Cornyn polled 1,481,357 unofficial votes and defeated two conservative businessmen. One of those rivals, [[Mark Yancey]], a largely unknown grass-roots candidate from [[Dallas]] who is uncommitted to special interest groups and calls himself a "Common Sense Republican,"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voteformark.com/meet-mark/|title=Meet Mark Yancey|date=December 27, 2019}}</ref> faced a herculean task because of Cornyn's high name recognition among voters. Cornyn will henceforth face in the November 3 general election a Democratic senatorial candidate yet to be determined in a pending runoff between Mary "M.J." Hegar and state Senator Royce West, an [[African-American]] from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]. Also in the race was a 2014 primary candidate, [[Dwayne Stovall]], who finished with 11 percent of the vote.  Cornyn's primary total was just 500 votes below for the combined Democratic field which attracted 1,481,896 votes.

 

===2020 U.S. Senate election in Texas===

In the primary held on March 3, 2020, Cornyn polled 1,481,357 unofficial votes (76 percent) and defeated four intra-party opponents. In the Republican primary was a 2014 primary candidate, [[Dwayne Stovall]], school board member from Cleveland in Liberty County, who finished second in 2020 with 231,294 votes (12 percent). Stovall polled 10.7 percent against Cornyn in the earlier 2014 primary. Also in the Republican primary was [[Mark Yancey]], a largely unknown grass-roots candidate from [[Dallas]], who claimed to have been uncommitted to special interest groups and called himself a "Common Sense Republican".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voteformark.com/meet-mark/|title=Meet Mark Yancey|date=December 27, 2019}}</ref> Yancey polled 118,362 votes (6.1 percent).  Both Stovall and Yancey faced a herculean task because of Cornyn's high name recognition among voters.  

 

The Democrat primary went to a July 2020 runoff between [[MJ Hegar|Mary "M.J." Hegar]] (no relation to Republican former Texas Comptroller [[Glenn Hegar]]), who polled 412,897 votes (22.3 percent) and veteran state Senator Royce West, an [[African-American]] from [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], who drew 269,028 (14.5 percent). Narrowly edged out of the Democratic runoff was the Hispanic activist Cristina Tzintzan Ramirez, who received 244,705 votes (13.2 percent). Hegar won the Democrat runoff.

 

Turnout in the Democrat Senate primary was 1,853,323 votes; all of the Republican Senate candidates received a total of 1,926,477 votes, or 73,000 more than the field of Democrat candidates.

 

 

Cornyn faced two major candidates in the Republican primary: current Texas Attorney General [[Ken Paxton]] and current Houston-area U.S. Representative [[Wesley Hunt]], as well as several other "also-ran" candidates.

 

Polling during the primary season had Cornyn roughly even with Paxton and both with a fair lead over Hunt; a runoff was expected as none of the candidates are approaching 50% needed to avoid one.  Cornyn's political advertising has concentrated on his high support (95% or 99% depending on the ad) of President Trump's agenda, along with Paxton's ethical issues (bribery accusations and his handling of the Texas Attorney General's office, not to mention his pending divorce and rumors of multiple affairs, including one with a "Christian influencer" mother of seven) and Hunt's "no-showing" during critical votes needed in the House.

 

*In December 2025 he received what could be called a "quasi-endorsement" and a very interesting one: while attending services at [[Prestonwood Baptist Church]] (where his opponent Paxton is a prominent member) Cornyn was recognized from the pulpit by [[Jack Graham (pastor)|Senior Pastor Jack Graham]] for his pro-life and pro-family votes in Congress.<ref>Dr. Graham's remarks, along with an endorsement by Prestonwood Foundation Executive Director Ron Kelley (who organizes candidate forums hosted by the church), were reprinted in the February 2026 edition of '''The LINK Letter''', a publication of Houston-based conservative talk show host Terry Lowry (https://terrylowry.com).</ref>

*On consecutive Sundays Cornyn appeared at, and received favorable comments from, First Baptist Church of Dallas Pastor [[Robert Jeffress]] and Cornerstone Church Senior Pastor [[John Hagee]].

 

As expected, Cornyn took the most votes in the primary, but not the majority needed to avoid a runoff with Paxton.  Shortly thereafter, President Trump stated he would "soon" endorse either Cornyn or Paxton but expected the candidate he did not endorse to immediately drop out of the race and end the runoff; he would ultimately endorse Paxton on the second day of early runoff voting.  Early runoff season polling had Paxton ahead, but polling closer to the election showed Cornyn closing the gap and, in some cases, with a slight lead.

 

In 2021, Cornyn seemed skeptical of the second impeachment of President Donald Trump by the Democrat-controlled U.S. House, saying it would encourage Republicans to impeach former Democrat Presidents in the future.<ref>Mena, Bryan. [https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/25/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-impeachment-trial-donald-trump/ Ted Cruz, John Cornyn come out against Donald Trump's second impeachment trial], ''Texas Tribune'', January 25, 2021.</ref> He also pointed out an article by law professor Alan Dershowitz which stated that Trump could not be tried because he is no longer in office.

 

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/ Official Site]

*[http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/ Official Site]

*[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001056/ Voting record]

*[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001056/ Voting record]

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[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Establishment]]

[[Category:Establishment]]

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[[Category:Christians]]

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