Sen. John Cornyn, after losing the Texas GOP runoff to Ken Paxton, pledged to back the Republican ticket and then posted the scorpion-and-frog fable on Twitter. The parable — which ends with the scorpion stinging the frog despite the shared risk — was widely read as a veiled critique aimed at Paxton, President Trump, or Republican voters. Cornyn called the post “a discussion starter” and later followed it with a Winston Churchill quote signaling persistence despite setback.
Cornyn’s Scorpion-and-Frog Tweet Fuels Speculation After Runoff Defeat
John Cornyn speaks to reporters
Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), fresh off a loss in the GOP runoff to Attorney General Ken Paxton, pledged to support the Republican ticket — then posted a series of tweets that many readers interpreted as a veiled rebuke of his victorious opponent and others in his party.
The Republican primary between Cornyn and Paxton was unusually bitter. Observers long viewed Cornyn as the stronger general-election candidate, while Paxton — who has faced multiple scandals, lawsuits, and a high-profile divorce — secured backing from the MAGA wing for his combative, far-right posture. President Donald Trump initially declined to endorse in the primary; late in the runoff, when polls showed Paxton ahead, Trump endorsed the attorney general.
On the Democratic side, the contest was steadier: State Rep. James Talarico (D) defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) by a comfortable margin, avoiding a runoff. Crockett conceded the next morning and urged supporters to rally behind the party’s nominees.
Speaking to supporters the night of the runoff, Cornyn said he would support the Republican nominee despite his earlier criticisms of Paxton.
“I’ve spent most of my time in the Senate building the Republican Party in Texas and in the U.S. Senate, and I’ve always supported the Republican ticket, and I intend to do so again in this general election,” Cornyn said. “I’ve said throughout this race that I trust the voters of Texas, and they’ve made their decision, and I must respect it.”
Days later, Cornyn shared what he described as “an old, but apt fable” — the scorpion-and-frog story — and tagged Wikipedia as his source. The parable recounts a scorpion asking a frog to ferry it across a river; despite promising not to sting the frog (because that would doom them both), the scorpion stings the frog midstream. When asked why, the scorpion replies, “I am sorry, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s my character.”
A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, noting it would drown if it killed the frog. The frog agrees, but midway across the river the scorpion stings the frog, dooming them both. The dying frog asks why, and the scorpion replies, “I am sorry, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s my character.”
Media outlets asked Cornyn to explain the post; he described it as “just a discussion starter for now.” The tweet prompted an immediate flood of responses, with many readers suggesting the senator was signaling displeasure with Paxton, President Trump, or the Republican voters who favored his opponent.
Shortly after sharing the fable, Cornyn posted another message quoting Winston Churchill: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” That line underscored a tone of resignation tempered by resolve as Cornyn and Texas Republicans move toward the general election in a changed political landscape.
Originally published by Mediaite; this version has been edited for clarity, structure, and readability.
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