Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, appeared on Newsmax's "National Report" Friday morning and pushed back at criticism of his U.S. Senate bid from allies of his rival, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, framing the attacks as out of touch in a changing geopolitical landscape.
"These are old, legacy Bush politicians that have no idea what's going on in the world today," Hunt said, framing the attacks as the reflex of a Republican establishment he argues Texas voters are ready to move on from.
Hunt pointed to Cornyn's spending and standing among primary voters as evidence the race is more competitive than Washington insiders care to admit.
He said Cornyn "has spent $75 million in this race already and is polling in the 20% [range]," adding that the incumbent's favorability is "literally ... hovering around zero in the Republican primary."
Hunt argued that the moment calls for a generational shift, using the Trump administration's roster as an example of the party's direction.
"It is time for the next young generation of leadership to step up and lead this country in the future," he said.
He tied that argument directly to what he called President Donald Trump's preference for leaders positioned to shape policy beyond one election cycle.
"President Trump understands that we're going to need leadership for the future," Hunt said. "Not just now, but for the next eight, 12, 16 years."
Hunt sharpened the contrast by portraying the Senate as a place in desperate need of younger lawmakers.
"The United States Senate is not a retirement community," he said, urging "Young America First leaders" to "step into the breach today."
He also insisted he would not have launched a campaign without a route to victory, arguing Texas Republicans are signaling fatigue with long tenure.
"I would not have gotten in this race if there wasn't a clear path," Hunt said, adding, "the people of Texas want term limits."
Hunt made clear his candidacy is explicitly aimed at ending Cornyn's long run in office.
"That's exactly what I am here to do, is to term limit a 24-year incumbent," he said.
Hunt also addressed calls for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to resign in the wake of a fraud scandal that has rocked his state, citing Walz's reaction to federal immigration enforcement operations there.
"When you have illegal immigrants, you are harboring them in your state – an illegal immigrant is somebody that has entered this country illegally, which is breaking federal law – and then they have actually crossed state lines to be in your state in Minnesota, that's a problem if you're the governor that's not going to support the federal government to remove these people from their state and send them back to their country of origin," he said.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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