Texas to lose clout in Congress after exits and primary losses

Several prominent members of Congress from Texas are retiring at the end of this year, in what could fundamentally reshape the makeup of Capitol Hill and the tenure of lawmakers from the Lone Star State.

Just a few months ago, four-term Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) was a few votes shy of being elected majority leader of the Senate. Now, he’s headed for the exit after losing a bruising GOP primary to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who garnered President Donald Trump’s endorsement.