So I was at an event last night with some interesting people who have information to which I am not typically privy . . . and yes, I'm purposefully being very vague here . . . and I heard some "very informed speculation" (how it was posed to me). According to my informant, when the filing deadline comes in December, Ken Paxton is not going to have filed to run for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn; he will have filed to run for governor against Greg Abbott.
The underlying facts are that Paxton's fundraising and polling have been disappointing after Hunt announced his candidacy. A lot of MAGA donors see Hunt as being every bit as MAGA as Paxton without any of the baggage. Pazton's camp is starting to get concerned that he might end up third in a three-candidate race.
Meanwhile, there are some people (e.g., Tim Dunn) who aren't altogether thrilled with Abbott. And they see Paxton as a viable alternative.
Here's my caveat--none of that makes any sense to me. But fuck--these are Republicans we're talking about. Nothing they do at all makes any sense to me. So I mean, I guess. Maybe.