A Primary Evil

Dear Texas, What is happening in your state?

The short answer is that, with your help, Trump successfully primaried Senator John Cornyn, who “was not supportive of me when times were tough.” (MSN) And though he voted with Trump over 99% of the time, Cornyn made a critical misstep. Back in 2023, he apparently questioned “Trump’s political future and waited months before endorsing his 2024 campaign.” (Aljazeera) That, my friends, is enough to get you pulled into the revenge tour and end your political career.

But here’s what stood out to me. Trump endorsed scandal-ridden Ken Paxton, who “has survived an impeachment by the Texas Legislature, a biblically-charged divorce, a decade of securities fraud charges, and he’s also become a multimillionaire during his time in public office.” (theBarbedWire) With a rap sheet like that, you can see why he won the primary by 27 points.

Paxton needs the evangelical base of support, so when interviewed by the Christian Post about his faith and public life, he responded, “My faith and Christian values are the foundation of not only my public service, but they’re also the foundation of every aspect of my life. My faith shapes how I view right and wrong, justice, and my responsibility to the people I serve.” (Whoops. Give me a sec. Just spit out my coffee.) Am I the only one who sees the monumental hypocrisy in that claim?

I thought, surely, this will bode well for Democrat James Talarico. Yet, this was the headline from Aljazeera: “Democrats see chance to make Texas Senate race competitive.”

Let me get this straight. The Republicans are running a man who was impeached by his own party, arranged for a convicted child sexual abuser (who was supposed to go to prison for sixty years) to be released after thirty days for good behavior, and became a multimillionaire on a public official’s salary. And the Democrats are running a Presbyterian minister with no scandals attached.

But you’re telling me that now there’s a chance that this race may be competitive?

I get it. Democrats couldn’t message their way out of a wet tissue paper sack if they had to, but honestly, y’all are killing me.

Honestly, this country is killing me. It’s almost as if the more corrupt you are, the more likely conservatives will vote for you. What happened to “character matters”?

Evangelicals, don’t you remember James Dobson criticizing Bill Clinton about that whole Monica Lewinsky scandal? “Character does matter,” he wrote. “How foolish to believe that a person who lacks honesty and moral integrity is qualified to lead a nation and the world!" I agreed with Dobson then, and I think character matters now.

However, years later, when it came down to it, Dobson openly support of Trump. Trump, who survived two impeachments, was divorced twice for (it would appear) biblical reasons, was found guilty of falsifying business records, was an adjudicated sexual abuser, and has become a billionaire during his time in public office.

I guess character matters until it doesn’t.

Just to say, Texas, the country is going to be watching this match-up. When it comes to Paxton and when it comes to supporting Trump, we’re all asking the same question of evangelicals. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt. 16:26)

Does power really matter more to the evangelicals than Jesus’ own words? ‘Cause after this blowout in the primary, it feels as if conservative Christians have forfeited their souls.

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