From Victory's Clutches to Turbulence: GOP Braces as Senate Hopes Fade

Republicans continue to be strong favourites to keep their hold over the Senate in 2026 due mainly to the limited number of winnable seats available to Democrats. However, they now face unforeseen challenges in candidate recruitment and primary contests which may turn this election cycle into more of a challenge for them than initially anticipated, according to Politico. reported on Tuesday.

The most recent development saw Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) decide not to challenge Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, leaving Republican chances vulnerable should Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene seek their nomination. sabotaged their prospects right from the start .

That's merely scratching the surface.

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"After Kemp and former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu rejected GOP recruitment efforts — and with hardline conservative Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton primarying the establishment Sen. John Cornyn — the GOP is bracing for a more turbulent cycle than once expected," said the report. "That’s not to mention other brewing challenges in Louisiana and North Carolina, where MAGA figures are threatening primaries against longtime incumbents."

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Paxton by himself is starting things up. major internal conflict within the Republican Party of Texas that Senate leaders are hopeful President Donald Trump will be able to calm.

According to the report, the chief strategist for the Republican Party's Senate campaign in Texas stated that they would make a ‘substantial push’ to secure Cornyn as the nominee. Sources indicate that Senator Cornyn has recently hired ex-Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio to strengthen his Make America Great Again (MAGA) image. The move comes after several GOP senators expressed their desire to prevent Paxton from entering the race. They aimed to weaken Paxton’s position prior to his announcement and encouraged President Trump to support Cornyn instead, noting that he was closely aligned with party leaders and previously chaired the Senate Campaign Committee. At this point, it is uncertain whether either Trump or the administration will request Paxton to step aside. However, advisors within the White House recognize that Paxton could become a burden politically and understand the significant financial investment required for campaigning in Texas.

To complicate things even further, noted the report, "Republicans could have another unwanted primary on their hands in Michigan, where Rep. Bill Huizenga is mulling whether to join former Rep. Mike Rogers in seeking retiring Sen. Gary Peters’ seat."

Republicans are still confident their geographic advantage in the 2026 Senate map will help them carry the day. However, Georgia-based Republican strategist Jay Williams told Politico, “Never underestimate Republicans’ ability to pull defeat from the jaws of victory.”

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