Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn is facing a primary challenge from MAGA Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the upcoming 2026 U.S. Senate Republican Primary. Paxton is a loyal Trump supporter who has consistently backed the Trump agenda as the Attorney General of one of the most conservative states in America.
Cornyn, on the other hand, has long straddled the line between supporting the America First agenda and siding with the Republican establishment, which so often stymies meaningful legislation. Cornyn also has a history of attacking Trump and once boldly said in May 2023 that Donald Trump couldn’t win the Presidential election in 2024.
In 2023, Cornyn urged Republicans to find an alternative Presidential candidate. He stated, “I think President Trump’s time has passed him by,” and emphasized the need for a candidate who could appeal beyond Trump’s base.
Of course, after President Donald Trump secured a caucus victory in Iowa and an overwhelming Republican Presidential Primary win in New Hampshire, Cornyn caved and finally endorsed President Trump, though begrudgingly.
Cornyn’s statement highlights a history of uncertainty as it pertains to his care for the very voters that routinely send him back to Washington D.C.
Now that Cornyn has been cornered, and is facing a legitimate primary contender who will galvanize the MAGA movement in Texas against him, Loomer Unleashed can exclusively confirm that Cornyn has turned to the ugliest factions of the Republican Establishment for assistance in defeating Ken Paxton.
On May 28th, 2025, Senator John Cornyn will hold a campaign fundraiser in Austin, Texas, featuring prominent Texas donors who opposed President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary.
Loomer Unleashed has conducted an extensive investigation into each of the individuals listed as sponsoring hosts of the event on the fundraiser invite, and we found shocking evidence that Senator John Cornyn is allying with the most duplicitous factions of the Republican Party to raise money.
The event features astounding costs for entry, with a basic ticket to the event costing $1,000. Co-hosts of the event are being charged $3,500. Hosts are charged $7,000 each. The chairs of the event are forking over a staggering $25,000 each.
Five Donors On Senator John Cornyn’s Fundraiser Committee Gave Ron DeSantis’s Failed 2024 Presidential Campaign Thousands of Dollars In Donations
Loomer Unleashed can exclusively report that five donors on the official flyer for Senator John Cornyn’s May 28th Texas campaign fundraiser donated a total of $36,000 to Ron DeSantis’s failed Presidential campaign in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary.
DeSantis was, of course, challenging President Donald Trump in that Republican Primary, but was embarrassed in Iowa so badly that he simply left the race. DeSantis lost by over 30% to President Donald Trump in the Iowa Caucus and dropped out before the New Hampshire Primary.
Let’s examine who these donors are!
Claire Brickman: $9900 to Ron DeSantis for President (Ron PAC) In 2023
Claire Brickman is a retired GOP donor in the State of Texas who has given substantial donations to establishment Republicans. She is listed as the third name on John Cornyn’s flyer. In 2023, Brickman donated a total of $9900 to Ron DeSantis’ failed Presidential campaign. Claire Brickman is married to Blake Brickman, who worked for Senator John Cornyn and became a whistleblower against Ken Paxton during his impeachment trial.
President Donald Trump declared his candidacy before any other candidate in the 2024 Election on November 15, 2022, meaning that Brickman’s donations, and the donations of other Cornyn supporters all derived from donors eager to oppose President Donald Trump.
See evidence of those donations from Brickman to DeSantis courtesy of the Federal Election Commission’s public campaign finance database below:
Claire is listed on the flyer with her husband, Blake Brickman, who also donated to Ron DeSantis’ failed Presidential campaign.
Blake Brickman: $9900 to Ron DeSantis for President (Ron PAC) in 2023
Blake Brickman is the Chief Operating Officer at Lonsdale Enterprises and also an Advisor at the Cicero Institute. He is a former employee of Attorney General Ken Paxton, and even became a whistleblower against Paxton during his impeachment trial.
Brickman also previously worked for Senator John Cornyn, raising suspicions over his involvement in the failed impeachment attempt on Ken Paxton.
The Texas businessman also gave $9900 to Ron DeSantis’ failed Presidential campaign in 2024 in opposition to President Trump.
See evidence of those donations below:
Blake Brickman is another supporter of Senator John Cornyn who was caught opposing President Donald Trump during the 2024 Election.
Gene Burrus, $3300 To Ron DeSantis For President (Ron PAC) In 2023
Gene Burrus heads an outfit called Burrus Investments in Austin, Texas, which focuses on local investments. He touts himself as a board member of several Homeowners Associations, as well as being a large contributor to the University of Texas at Austin.
On his website, Burrus describes himself as the following: “Gene Burrus stands as a testament to the power of active community involvement, environmental stewardship, conservative political engagement, and the fostering of intellectual discourse.”
Burrus, who appears on the Cornyn fundraising flyer, also donated to Ron DeSantis’s failed Presidential campaign in 2023, giving $3300.
See evidence of that donation below:
Why did so many people who are currently supporting SenatorJohn Cornyn oppose President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary?
Gary Farmer: $9900 to Ron DeSantis For President (Ron PAC) in 2023
Gary S. Farmer is President of Heritage Title Company of Austin, Inc., a commercially oriented title insurance agency operating throughout the major markets of Texas. He has been in the title insurance business since 1985.
He appears on the flyer for Senator John Cornyn’s fundraiser, and in 2023 he donated a whopping $9900 to Ron DeSantis’ failed Presidential campaign to oppose Trump.
See evidence of that donation below:
Leslie Timmerman: $3300 To Ron DeSantis For President (Ron PAC) In 2023
Leslie Timmerman is an Austin homemaker, and in 2023 she also donated $3300 to Ron DeSantis’ failed Presidential campaign. Timmerman appears on the flyer for Senator John Cornyn’s fundraiser.
See evidence of her contribution to DeSantis below:
Five Donors On Senator John Cornyn’s Fundraiser Flyer Gave Over $12K To Nikki Haley’s Failed Presidential Bid To Challenge Trump
In addition to Ron DeSantis’ failed bid for President, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley also challenged President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary.
Haley stayed in the race much longer than Ron DeSantis, but ultimately faced the same fate, never receiving a sizable portion of the vote in any state primary, including her own home state of South Carolina where President Trump demolished her.
Loomer Unleashed can exclusively confirm that five donors on Senator John Cornyn’s May 28th fundraiser flyer donated a collective total of over $12k to Nikki Haley’s failed Presidential campaign through various campaign finance entities.
Senator John Cornyn’s support comes almost exclusively from individuals who opposed President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary.
George and Pamela Willeford: $3300 Each To Nikki Haley for President In 2023
George and Pamela Willeford are both listed on Senator John Cornyn’s fundraiser flyer for May 28th, and both donated to Nikki Haley’s failed bid to challenge President Trump in 2024.
They are both retired and routinely contribute to Republican causes in Texas, leaning towards the political establishment.
See evidence of those donations below:
Kerry Cammack: $2000 To Nikki Haley For President in 2023
Kerry Cammack is an Attorney in the State of Texas. His website describes him as the following: “He serves as general outside legal counsel to various individuals and business entities. His legal expertise extends to representing both sellers and purchasers in numerous stock purchase and asset acquisition transactions, including commercial real estate deals involving hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, nursing homes, residential subdivisions, undeveloped land, and apartments.”
Cammack backed Haley in the 2024 Presidential election against President Donald Trump. See evidence of that donation below, courtesy of the Federal Election Commission below:
Harriett O’Neil: $4,000 to Nikki Haley for President In 2023
Harriet O’Neil was discovered by Loomer Unleashed to have donated over $4000 to Nikki Haley’s anti-Trump bid for President in 2024.
See evidence of her contributions below:
O’Neil is yet another ardent supporter of Senator John Cornyn who failed to support President Donald Trump during the 2024 Election, and actively donated to candidates who opposed him.
Dealey Herndon: $2800 to Nikki Haley for President In 2023
Dealey Herndon, a prolific Republican donor in the State of Texas, donated a total of $2800 to Nikki Haley’s Presidential campaign, according to FEC records.
See evidence of those donations below:
Herndon is retired, and yet another donor of Cornyn’s who supported anti-Trump candidates in 2024.
It is clear that the walls continue to close in on Senator John Cornyn, who is now relying heavily on the Republican establishment in his state. Can Texans really trust a man who is courting those who opposed President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primaries?
Based on his donors, the answer is an easy “no.”
YES! John Cornyn is willing to stand up against the corruption of Ken Paxton, an unethical anti-American self- centered jerk who only wants to promote his own power. I so hope he will get the support of the Republicans who are sane and not wading in the sewage and greed of the extreme far right. I hope he will also stand up for the needs of the middle-class and demand that the political games such as randon tariff assignment will stop. Cornyn will protect our democratic country.
You convinced me! I’m voting for Paxton!