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In a move that has significant implications for the political landscape, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also running for U.S. Senate, has declared the initiation of undercover operations aimed at “infiltrating and dismantling leftist terror cells within Texas.”
“Leftist political terrorism poses a clear and imminent danger. Corrupted ideologies, such as transgenderism and Antifa, are deteriorating our culture and have unleashed chaotic elements upon the American public,” Attorney General Paxton stated. “The martyrdom of Charlie Kirk indicates a critical juncture in our nation. There is no room for compromise with those who wish to annihilate us. Therefore, I have instructed my office to intensify efforts to identify, investigate, and penetrate these leftist terror networks. To those twisted individuals intending to harm, know this: you cannot evade justice.”
Paxton’s assertions come amid growing concerns about an environment where political violence from the radical Left is not only tolerated but often exalted. For instance, in July, a group of armed individuals with ties to Texas-based Antifa-like organizations launched an ambush on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Alvarado, Texas.
In support of Paxton’s initiative to “eradicate leftist terror cells,” he received backing from Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who shares Paxton’s controversial viewpoints.
To contextualize Paxton’s recent announcement, it’s critical to consider the current Republican U.S. Senate primary landscape.
MAGA vs RINO vs Rep. Hunt
It’s important to highlight why this race is significant:
- The primary features a contest between traditional GOP figures and Trump loyalists, with the latter likely holding an advantage.
- Democrats have a viable chance to capture a Texas U.S. Senate seat for the first time since Ted Cruz’s narrow victory in 2018.
- The evident corruption associated with MAGA candidate Ken Paxton would set a worrying precedent for U.S. Senators.
On Monday, I discussed one of the leading Democratic candidates, James Talarico. I have also covered the GOP primary in previous posts, including “The MAGA vs RINO Frontline” and updated it with “Texas Floods, Biblical Divorce Complicate US Senate Primary.”
The rivalry between Paxton and Cornyn in the primary took a turn with the entry of Wesley Hunt, who is recognized as “one of the first Black Republicans to represent Texas in the House of Representatives.”
Mr. Hunt stated that his candidacy was motivated by the intense conflict between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, and he aims to present voters with an alternative option. He highlighted that while Mr. Cornyn has damaged Mr. Paxton’s popularity, he himself hasn’t seen much improvement in his polling numbers.
“They are merely throwing mud at each other,” he articulated. “I plan to prioritize the needs of Texans.”
Hunt also expressed intentions to repeal a bipartisan gun control law negotiated by Cornyn following the tragic 2022 Uvalde elementary school shooting.
“You cannot endorse gun control legislation in Texas,” Mr. Hunt remarked. Paxton has similarly criticized Cornyn on this front.
This line of attack complicates Cornyn’s re-election bid, as both he and Hunt are likely to appeal to the same conservative base that has reservations about Paxton due to his numerous legal concerns. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has been urging Hunt to reconsider running, fearing that the primary’s financial demands could distract from efforts in a crucial general election, which may favor Democrats.
In September, the committee communicated to donors invested in Hunt’s campaign that their contributions were being squandered on a “vanity project that could jeopardize Republican control of the Senate.”
Despite the challenges, Hunt stated he would not be particularly upset if Paxton were to win the primary, asserting that Paxton is genuinely conservative, whereas he implied Cornyn is not.
At 43, Hunt has represented a wealthy, predominantly white Houston district since 2022, though he remains largely unknown outside of that area. He has openly discussed race and the legacy of slavery in the U.S., presenting his success story as a rebuttal to Democratic claims of racism. It’s noteworthy that Texas has never had a Black senator.
“To be honest, I don’t believe Texans prioritize race,” Hunt said in an interview.
The humor writes itself, but perhaps Rep. Hunt has had his share of undercover operations within the Texas GOP that I am unaware of.
The Hill reports that incumbent Senator John Cornyn is surpassing Paxton in fundraising:
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) secured $3.36 million across his campaign and political action committees from July to September, concluding the quarter with $10.5 million in cash. In comparison, Paxton raised $2.9 million during the second quarter of fundraising and ended with $2.5 million on hand. He is yet to disclose his third-quarter fundraising results; candidates have until October 15 to report those figures.
Cornyn and his supporters are heavily investing in social media assaults, television commercials, and even vehicles circulating around Austin to detract from Paxton’s campaign.
According to Axios, their efforts have been effective:
In May, Cornyn was trailing by substantial margins in several polls. However, he managed to narrow the gap this summer, closing in on single digits in most surveys.
This progress hasn’t come cheap, as Cornyn-affiliated super PACs have spent or earmarked around $14 million in the preceding months, per AdImpact.
A sample of Cornyn’s offensive against Paxton includes:
“Hard to run from prison, Ken” https://t.co/6oQ3oMqjCN
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 29, 2024
For those unfamiliar with Paxton’s background, The Texas Tribune provides a thorough overview of his legal troubles:
Paxton has faced allegations of misconduct multiple times over his tenure in office, including fraud, abuse of authority, and self-interest.
In one of his most consequential legal challenges, he was charged with several felonies in 2015 for allegedly encouraging investors to purchase shares in a McKinney tech company without disclosing his financial interest and for failing to register with the state when soliciting clients for a friend’s investment firm. After years of litigation, he agreed to community service instead of a trial, without admitting guilt or facing a conviction.
In 2023, he was impeached by the Texas House for alleged official misconduct, some accusations associated with trading political favors with a campaign donor for a job for a woman he allegedly had an affair with. Paxton dismissed the impeachment as a politically motivated witch hunt and maintained he did not break any laws.
Ultimately, he was acquitted by the Texas Senate and reinstated in his position.
The advertisement below targets a campaign finance issue that has implicated Paxton:
Federal authorities have requested that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate campaign either explain or return approximately $658,000 in political contributions that seem to violate federal law.
This local news segment covers a vehicle that Cornyn’s campaign is deploying throughout Austin:
In response, Paxton has initiated his counter-campaign with an advertisement that “recycles anti-Cornyn quotes from Trump and asserts that the senator is not a genuine conservative.”
Additionally, Paxton is actively engaging in media outreach, targeting healthcare professionals:
On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused the Texas Medical Association — the state’s leading physician organization — of neglecting to adhere to the updated federal recommendations stating that COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer universally mandated for children.
Last month, the CDC modified its vaccine guidelines, indicating that vaccination should be determined through individual choice.
Subsequently, the TMA sent out instructions to its members, urging consideration of both CDC recommendations and those from various physician organizations that conflict with federal guidelines, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Paxton criticized this as an “undermining” of federal guidelines.
“It’s unacceptable that the TMA is disregarding ACIP’s new federal recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations, which expand personal liberties and challenge the medical overreach of the Biden Administration,” Paxton declared. “This decision must be reversed immediately, and I urge every Texas physician to denounce this alarming shift by the TMA.”
Furthermore, Paxton is pursuing inquiries against LGBTQ advocates potentially employing covert investigations:
The Texas Supreme Court will deliberate on the extent of information PFLAG must provide to Attorney General Paxton’s office regarding his investigation into medical practitioners allegedly contravening the state’s prohibition on gender-affirming care for minors. The LGBTQ organization claims this demand is unconstitutional.
Paxton’s office is utilizing its Consumer Protection Division to enforce the law, which also applies to the Deceptive Trade Practice Act. The inquiry is centered on whether medical providers are circumventing the ban by prescribing hormones under other medical diagnoses apart from gender dysphoria.
Specifically, the AG’s office contends that some healthcare providers disguise the prescriptions as endocrine disorder treatments as insurers would tend to reject payment for “gender-incongruent” therapies, which constitutes a violation of the deceptive trade act.
The inquiry has led Paxton’s office to PFLAG, which the AG claims possesses information related to these physicians attempting to evade the ban.
In addition to all this, he has investigated a Chinese-owned tech firm for alleged data privacy violations and has also successfully secured the sealing of records from his divorce case thus far.
The “Leftist Terror”
With that backdrop, let’s examine the July 4th “Prarieland attack.” Here’s how Wikipedia describes it:
The 2025 Alvarado ICE facility attack, also known as the Prairieland attack, transpired at the ICE detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, on the evening of July 4, 2025. Officials characterize it as a coordinated attack in which about twelve individuals dressed in black outfits and body armor reportedly utilized fireworks and vandalism to lure authorities out and ambush them with firearms, resulting in one police officer being shot in the neck, who later recovered. A total of ten individuals were apprehended shortly after the incident, with an alleged shooter captured on July 15 following a manhunt. Many of the suspects were affiliated with leftist collectives or activism, and anti-government literature was discovered among their possessions. Reports indicate that between fifteen and seventeen individuals have been charged in connection with this incident as of September 23.
The suspected shooter, Benjamin Song, 32, is a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, previously named in a 2023 lawsuit involving a counter-protest at a Fort Worth drag show.
One of the seventeen arrested, Meagan Morris, spoke to NPR’s KERA News, stating her side of the story:
“We never intended for any violence or anything to escalate like this. Our original goal was simply to show support for the detainees, perhaps lift their spirits with a fireworks display and then leave. If an officer was shot, that person was acting independently. They want to penalize all of us.”
Evidence gathered in the case suggests that there might have been only one shooter that evening and indicates discrepancies between the initial reported number of shell casings and actual counts.
The officer involved has since made a full recovery, as documented in court records.
The FBI characterized the events of that night as a “coordinated and intentional attack.” Court documents allege that Morris’ residence served as the “staging ground” for those involved.
Morris disputes these claims, asserting that the group met at her home only for carpooling purposes before participating in what was intended as a peaceful protest. She claimed she remained in the vehicle when they reached the detention center, asserting ignorance about the unfolding events until she heard gunfire.
“The moment I realized something was going wrong, I attempted to leave,” she stated.
Morris is not among the eight faced with advancing legal charges:
A federal judge in Fort Worth determined there was sufficient evidence to advance charges against eight defendants, who are accused of opening fire outside a U.S. ICE detention facility in Alvarado on July 4 to a grand jury.
The defendants, including Cameron Arnold, Nathan Bauman, Zachary Evetts, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Sota, and Benjamin Hanil Song, were arrested as part of the broader incident that involved seventeen individuals.
Testimony from the first witness, an FBI agent, presented evidence that Song acted as a leader in orchestrating the group’s actions, which involved the ambush of law enforcement, the initiation of fireworks, property damage, and trespassing.
Numerous members of this group have identified with anti-fascist and anarchist ideologies. Investigators retrieved anarchist literature and noted that the group employed encrypted messaging applications for communication.
Song faces numerous serious charges, including engaging in organized criminal activities, assaulting a public servant, and participating in acts of terrorism, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The Washington Post expanded on the heightened anxiety surrounding this incident with a piece titled “Suspects in Texas ICE shooting tied to trans, anti-fascist activism”:
Just after dusk on July 5, ominous noises echoed through a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood known as The Bottoms. Residents looked out to witness a formation of individuals clad in desert camouflage and tactical gear taking cover behind an armored vehicle.
A SWAT team had forcibly entered a residence, which locals stated was inhabited by numerous transgender women engaged in activism that initially focused on trans and queer issues. Witnesses detailed how these women were apprehended at gunpoint, dressed in pajamas and bathrobes.
“It was already peculiar that several white trans individuals moved into our neighborhood,” recounted an anonymous neighbor who expressed concerns about privacy. He rolled a joint and surveyed the scene. “Now the FBI is raiding their home.”
During the raid, members of law enforcement confiscated nine firearms and apprehended a transgender woman associated with the shooting.
The Post’s investigation revealed the defendants as part of a concealed network of Dallas anti-fascists, indicative of a growing trend in leftist political resistance that some experts claim is increasingly resorting to violence in the Trump administration’s wake.
Despite the uptick, incidents of leftist violence remain comparatively low when set against the prevalence of right-wing violence in America, according to various assessments, including a University of Maryland report indicating far-right extremists have committed nearly twice the number of violent acts as their left-leaning counterparts from 1948 to 2018.
As we navigate these contentious and complex times, it’s critical for citizens to scrutinize the actions of public figures like Ken Paxton and remain alert to their influences on societal dynamics.
