Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) will reportedly launch a primary challenge against Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is seeking reelection in 2014. Cornyn is the U.S. Senate's second-ranking Republican.
Stockman, who is favored by the tea party, told WND that part of the reason he is running against Cornyn is because of his handling of Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) fight to defund Obamacare earlier this year.
Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas) (AP)
"And now, it looks like Cruz was right and Cornyn was wrong," Stockman said. "He sided with the President, essentially, in making sure Obamacare became law while Cruz did everything possible to stop it."
He accused Cornyn of making a " big show of removing his name from a letter supporting Cruz," adding that he should have voiced his disagreement with Cruz more privately.
"Texas Republican Party spokesman Spencer Yeldell confirmed reports that Stockman withdrew his application for his congressional seat and filed papers to run in the Senate race," CNN reports. "Monday was the filing deadline to enter the race. The primary is March 4."
Defeating Cornyn will be no easy task for Stockman and will require a lot of grassroots support. The veteran lawmaker reportedly has a accumulated a massive war chest of roughly $7 million, Federal Election Commission records indicate. He also has the support of Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, speaks to members of the media following Cornyn's a rally kicking off his re-election campaign in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman, Rodolfo Gonzalez)
Running for his second term in 2008, Cornyn reportedly received 55 percent of the vote against his Democratic opponent. Texas voters sent Stockman to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. He served one term as a congressman from 1995 to 1997.
Cornyn recently spoke with Glenn Beck on his radio show to discuss some of the concerns some conservatives have expressed regarding his strategy in Washington, D.C. Watch the interview below:
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