Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) stepped on a landmine at the worst possible time. Also, what were you thinking, man? You didn’t need to weigh in on this, did you? As Joe wrote earlier this morning, the outgoing Texas Republican Senator posted an article about how the libertarian candidate is trying to curry favor with disaffected GOP voters in the Lone Star State.
He shared it without a caption. Then, when he got caught, because Cornyn is a top Republican, he just got his ass beaten in a primary runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He later posted, “fake news” after the bomb had gone off, however.
“What is ‘fake news’ is the characterization that I am supporting or "promoting" this candidate. I am not,” Cornyn said later.
What is "fake news" is the characterization that I am supporting or "promoting" this candidate. I am not. https://t.co/dnjhAwg0FA
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 3, 2026
Fake news https://t.co/Pgq1ehNpvz
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 3, 2026
But the community note was brutal:
There is nothing fake about the post. Sen. John Cornyn did, indeed, share an article about the Libertarian candidate seeking Texas' U.S. Senate seat currently held by Mr. Cornyn.
A thrice-fried Cornyn dog, folks. When you’re explaining, you’re losing. And even if this was posted by mistake, the optics, especially after getting creamed in a primary, look terrible. If he had initially said, this is fake news from the start, that’s a different story, but now the train has derailed, the toothpaste is out of the tube, and the horse is several hundred miles from the barn.
Just a mess, man. And that’s why John will soon be out of a job.