John Cornyn Goes Off on LindellTV Employee During Grilling: ‘You’re a Paid Influencer!’

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) snapped at LindellTV reporter Alison Steinberg, accusing her of being a “paid influencer” on Thursday.

Cornyn is currently engaged in a tense primary runoff race against Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Senate seat in Texas. The original primary, which also included Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), was held on March 3. Hunt was eliminated, but no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, advancing Cornyn and Paxton to a runoff.

President Donald Trump has yet to endorse either candidate.

“What do you have to say to the Americans who are questioning why President Trump should endorse you when many say that you have been vehemently against his agenda?” Steinberg, a reporter for the conservative network, asked Cornyn in the released clip.

According to a 2025 report by The Texas Tribune, Cornyn voted in line with Trump’s agenda 92 percent of the time during his first presidency.

“Do you speak for all these Americans?” Cornyn spoke over Steinberg. “I don’t understand.”

Steinberg quipped back: “Yeah. Actually, I do,” before continuing, “Many people have been asking this question. Do you have a response? I mean you’ve been borderline pro-amnesty, red flag laws–”

Cornyn cut Steinberg off before she could continue.

“Are you being paid by the Paxton campaign?” he asked in reference to his opponent.

When Steinberg claimed to be representing millions of other Americans, Cornyn quickly shot her down before ending the interview.

“I think you’re a paid influencer!” he said. “Because none of that’s true, and you know it.”

On Wednesday, Cornyn made headlines for an op-ed he wrote in The New York Post. Cornyn altered his stance on the filibuster, writing in favor of “whatever changes to Senate rules that may prove necessary” to pass the SAVE America Act and restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security despite “Democrats’ obstruction.”

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