Warren Kenneth Jr. Paxton
Paxton attacked his rival's vote for the $95 billion package with Israel aid as defending "other countries' borders, but not America's." He enforced Texas's anti-boycott law for years and in 2026 filed a brief against pro-Palestinian groups, saying Hamas and "their domestic supporting branches" must be "decimated and dismantled."
Paxton, Texas's attorney general, beat Sen. John Cornyn by 28 points in the May 2026 Republican Senate runoff. He has no federal votes, and his record runs in two registers that do not resolve into one aid position.
On the packages, he is a border-first critic: in February 2024 he attacked Cornyn's vote for the $95 billion foreign aid package that included military assistance for Israel, writing that it was "unbelievable" for a senator to "stay up all night to defend other countries' borders, but not America's," and 2026 campaign coverage describes a platform skeptical of "sending billions to foreign countries," Israel included, before securing the U.S. border. He has not said he would cut aid to the government of Israel; he has said the packages carrying it have the wrong priorities.
As attorney general his pro-Israel enforcement record is long: he defended Texas's law barring state contracts with companies that boycott Israel through years of litigation (his existing record quotes call the law "constitutional" and the boycott movement an attempt to injure "a key ally"), investigated Ben & Jerry's parent Unilever, and in August 2025 opened an investigation of a school district over antisemitism claims. In January 2026 he filed a multistate brief supporting October 7 victims suing American Muslims for Palestine and National Students for Justice in Palestine under the Anti-Terrorism Act, saying such groups "must be decimated and dismantled, and that includes their domestic supporting branches."
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- [Position, 2024-02-13] Attack on Cornyn's vote for the $95B package including Israel military assistance (Houston Chronicle, resolved when checked; a mediaite mirror could not be opened): "unbelievable" to "stay up all night to defend other countries' borders, but not America's"; called Cornyn an "America Last RINO." The spans are reported from his X post; the Chronicle is the source.
- [Position, 2026-07-22] Campaign platform skepticism: questioning "sending billions to foreign countries and protecting the borders of other nations," including Israel, without prioritizing U.S. security (Express-News on AIPAC and the Texas race).
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located as a funding position.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Reaction window, 2023-10-13] Joined 27 attorneys general: Hamas a "genocidal terrorist organization"; Israel's right to defend against "inexplicable and obscene violence"; responsibility for lives lost lies with Hamas (his release). Off the card; multi-signatory.
- [Position, 2026-01-06] Multistate amicus brief supporting October 7 victims' Anti-Terrorism Act claims against AMP and NSJP (his release, read and verified verbatim): the groups declared themselves part of a "Unity Intifada" under Hamas's "unified command" per the release; his quote: "...decimated and dismantled, and that includes their domestic supporting branches. Terrorism relies on complex networks and intermediaries, and the law must be enforced against those who knowingly provide material support." A fuller lead-in reported elsewhere ("Radical Islamic terrorist groups like Hamas must be...") is consistent with the recovered text.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Prior, 2019-01-15] Defended HB 89 in federal court; the boycott movement is "an attempt to cause economic isolation and injury to a key ally and trading partner of Texas" (existing record quote; release).
- [Prior, 2020-04-28] Applauded the Fifth Circuit vacating the injunction against the anti-boycott law (release).
- [Prior, 2023-04-18] Won the appellate ruling defending the statute; existing record quote calls the law "constitutional" (release).
- [Prior, 2021-11-22] Joined the 12-state letter to Unilever over Ben & Jerry's (enforcement, investigation releases). His office maintains an Israel news category.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2025-08-28] Investigation of Plano ISD over antisemitism claims (FOX 4).
Also in this race: Joshua Cain (Independent), Camencia Ford (Other), Jade Simmons (Independent), James Talarico (Democrat), Hans Truelson (Other) · All Texas candidates.
See the full record →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.