How Much Has Real Estate Donated in Cornyn vs. Paxton race?

18 July 2025

Sen. John Cornyn and his Republican primary challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, are duking it out for the support of Texas real estate scions.

The question is whether Paxton’s entrance into the race on April 8 has shaken supporters out of Cornyn’s camp — and how much Paxton’s high-profile divorce will alienate his conservative Christian base.

Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce this month “on biblical grounds,” citing her husband’s adultery, which came to light in 2023, when he was impeached by the Texas House and acquitted by the Senate.

So far, Cornyn has out-raised Paxton by $1 million, but Paxton poached at least one major real estate player from his opponent, who’s been the state’s senior senator since 2002.

Centurion American’s Mehrdad Moayedi earmarked a $25,000 WinRed donation for Cornyn three years ago, and he supported Cornyn directly with smaller gifts in 2019 and 2022. This June, Moayedi gave $7,000 to Paxton.

It’s the sharpest turn among big names in real estate who have supported Cornyn in the past, but it’s not the only one. Dallas Hotel mogul Monty Bennett donated to Cornyn in 2009, and Huffines Communities’ Phillip Huffines supported Cornyn’s first congressional run in 2002. Both are supporting Paxton now.

Paxton also received donations from North Texas land broker Rex Glendenning, Austin developer David Buttross and Old Prosper Partners’ Teague Griffin.

Retrievable Federal Election Commission data goes no later than June, so the effects of Paxton’s divorce proceedings remain to be seen.

Given Moayedi’s turn, it may be significant that some players who donated to Cornyn before Paxton’s April 8 campaign launch haven’t sent Cornyn another check since.

Ross Perot Jr., Lucy Billingsley, Perry Homes’ Kathy Britton, Mischer Investments scion Walt Mischer Jr. and HN Capital Partners’ Vipin Nambiar all donated to Cornyn this spring. Billingsley doubled down after Paxton’s launch with a $10,000 gift to the Cornyn Victory Committee in May. Cornyn also received gifts after April from investor Timothy Timmerman, NewQuest co-founder Steven Alvis and Associa CEO John Carona, who served in the Texas Senate from 1996 to 2015.

Perot, who gave $300,000 last February and $3,500 this March, has no donations to Cornyn on record since then. He has been active in other races during this period, with donations to Republican Texas House of Representatives members Tony Gonzales in June and Beth Van Duyne in May.

Mischer also donated to others after Paxton announced his campaign, giving a $7,000 gift to the Republican U.S. House of Representatives member Michael McCaul on April 17.

Britton’s and Nambiar’s gifts also preceded Paxton’s launch, but they haven’t recorded activity in other races since then.

Paxton said he has raised $2.9 million since April and has $2.5 million on hand, the Texas Tribune reported. Gifts to Paxton from donors identified as members of the real estate industry total more than $181,000.

Cornyn claimed he raked in $3.9 million in the same period. He has a war chest of $8.5 million. Real estate donations to Cornyn this cycle amount to more than $433,000.