He's upset at Cornyn's vote for the fiscal cliff deal, and is toying with possibilities:
Look, I’ve been a supporter of Sen. Cornyn’s for a long time but that doesn’t mean I can’t criticize him, as I did with his support of the original TARP bill. And yes, he is a conservative and has done some good stuff for us during his time in Washington DC.
But at some point, you have to ask “why aren’t you voting conservative on fiscal issues?” And not accept a non-answer like the one above.
If someone does challenge him, they will face an uphill fight to be sure. Sen. Cornyn has deep roots, an extensive campaign organization, and the support of many party leaders. I think, as do most people, that Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott would easily beat him in a primary but I’m told that they are such good friends that Abbott will not challenge him. Which makes you wonder about Abbott but that is for another day.
Is this the race that State Sen. Dan Patrick will attempt? Before you dismiss him, remember, this is a Republican primary we’re talking about. What happens if Dan Branch takes a shot? Now that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has decided to embrace Tea Party groups and far right activists, will he forgo another run at Lt. Gov. and give the Senate another run? Stranger things have happened. Does George P. Bush have the spine to challenge him? Doubtful because they run in the same circles but if he sees an opening, does he take the chance? Who knows?
What I do know is that Sen. Cornyn’s vote on the fiscal cliff is out of touch with Republican primary voters in Texas. And that can’t be a good thing for him. Perhaps he is betting that Texas Republicans are going to move towards the center in the next 15 months.
