Sen. John Cornyn announces 2026 reelection campaign leadership team including former Trump pollster

May 7, 2025

U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced his 2026 reelection campaign team, signaling a serious fight against primary challenger Ken Paxton. The team includes former Donald Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio and other GOP operatives with ties to Trump, an effort to secure his conservative credentials. A potential Trump endorsement is seen as the key factor in the race, which Cornyn predicted would be a 'long, miserable 10 months' for Paxton.

Cornyn 2026 reelection campaign team

▪U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced a seven-person senior campaign team for his 2026 reelection bid.
▪Andy Hemming, a former senior adviser for Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2022 campaign, will serve as Campaign Manager.
▪Rob Jesmer will continue as General Consultant, having advised John Cornyn since 2007.
▪Tony Fabrizio, a former pollster for Donald Trump's 2016 and 2024 campaigns, will serve as Lead Pollster.

Cornyn-Paxton Republican primary contest

▪The campaign team announcement signals John Cornyn is preparing for a serious primary fight against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
▪In a statement, John Cornyn predicted a "long, miserable 10 months for Ken Paxton."
▪Ken Paxton has positioned himself as a disruptor to the Republican establishment, which he claims John Cornyn embodies.
▪Ken Paxton launched his bid in April 2025 to unseat John Cornyn in the 2026 Republican primary.

Trump political network connections

▪The hiring of aides with ties to Donald Trump is viewed as an effort by John Cornyn to demonstrate his conservative allegiance.
▪A potential endorsement from Donald Trump is considered the biggest undecided factor looming over the race.
▪Campaign Manager Andy Hemming was research director for Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and a rapid response director in the Trump White House.

Campaign team professional backgrounds

▪Vincent Harris will direct digital strategy; his firm has run digital campaigns for Senator Ted Cruz and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
▪Matt Mackowiak will serve as Communications Director and Senior Advisor; he previously bundled over $250,000 for Donald Trump's 2024 campaign.
▪Matt Wiltshire will serve as Political Director; he has worked for multiple Texas GOP campaigns, including for Gov. Greg Abbott.
▪Jahan Wilcox, a new Senior Advisor, held a senior communications role at the Environmental Protection Agency under Donald Trump.