Federal Government – US Senate

Job description	Represents the state of Texas in the US Senate, the upper chamber of the legislative branch. Term is six years.
Duties	Writes and votes on federal laws. Votes to confirm or deny presidential appointments (Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, ambassadors). Votes to confirm or deny treaties with foreign governments. The Senate leads the federal budget process, which decides how much the federal government will spend each year. The Senate also has the power to hold an impeachment trial for any federal official who commits a crime against the country.
Annual salary	$174,000

Candidate Q&A

Mary “MJ” Hegar Website: https://mjfortexas.com Email: info@mjfortexas.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJforTexas/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjhegar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjfortexas/	Democrat
John Corbyn (incumbent) Website: http://www.johncornyn.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenJohnCornyn/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/johncornyn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamcornyn/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SenJohnCornyn US Senate page: https://www.cornyn.senate.gov	Republican

• “Many Texans in Congress scrambled to join vote as U.S. House passes coronavirus spending bill,” Texas Tribune (Mar 27, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/27/texans-congress-vote-pass-coronavirus-spending-bill/
• “Bull session: John Cornyn will Just “blah blah blah” his way through this” [opinion], Texas Monthly (Mar 26, 2020) https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/john-cornyn-chip-roy-coronavirus-bull-session/
• “Texas delaying May primary runoff elections in response to coronavirus,” Texas Tribune (Mar 20, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/20/texas-delaying-primary-runoff-election-response-coronavirus-outbreak/
• “U.S. Sen. John Cornyn draws rebuke for blaming coronavirus on China,” Texas Tribune (Mar 18, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/18/john-cornyn-texas-coronavirus-china/
• “Gun control group endorses MJ Hegar for Texas senator, blasts both Cornyn, West,” Dallas Morning News (Mar 17, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/03/17/gun-control-group-endorses-mj-hegar-for-texas-senator-blasts-both-cornyn-west/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Texas elections for U.S. Senate runoff, local races in flux amid coronavirus spread,” Dallas Morning News (Mar 17, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/03/17/texas-runoff-elections-for-us-senate-local-races-in-flux-amid-coronavirus-spread/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Texas Sen. John Cornyn criticized as he enjoys a beer, urges public ‘don’t panic’ amid coronavirus fears,” Dallas Morning News (Mar 15, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/03/16/sen-john-cornyn-criticized-as-he-enjoys-a-beer-urges-public-dont-panic-amid-coronavirus-fears/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Coronavirus upends politics as voters `hunker down,’ avoiding rallies and snubbing door-to-door canvassers,” Dallas Morning News (Mar 13, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/03/13/coronavirus-upends-politics-as-voters-hunker-down-avoiding-rallies-and-snubbing-door-to-door-canvassers/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez endorses Royce West over MJ Hegar in Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate,” Texas Tribune (Mar 9, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/09/royce-west-wins-cristina-tzintzun-ramirezs-endorsement-over-mj-hegar/
• “Democratic runoff to challenge Cornyn sets up crisp contrast between Hegar, West,” Texas Tribune (Mar 5, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/05/texas-democrats-mj-hegar-royce-west-compete-us-senate-challenge-cornyn/
• “MJ Hegar, Royce West head to runoff in Democratic primary to challenge US Sen John Cornyn,” Texas Tribune (Mar 3, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/03/mj-hegar-royce-west-take-early-lead-democratic-primary-senate-race/
• “Dallas County judge Clay Jenkins endorses Royce West in crowded Senate primary,” Dallas Morning News (Feb 25, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/26/dallas-county-judge-clay-jenkins-endorses-royce-west-in-crowded-senate-primary/ (paywall – article limit)
• “John Cornyn opposes legal pot, says marijuana use may harm kids, pregnant women,” Dallas Morning News (Feb 21, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/20/john-cornyn-opposes-legal-pot-says-marijuana-use-may-harm-the-young-pregnant-women/ (paywall -article limit)
• “MJ Hegar keeps fundraising lead as Democratic primary to challenge Cornyn reaches end,” Texas Tribune (Feb 21, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/02/21/mj-hegar-keeps-fundraising-lead-democratic-primary-challenge-cornyn /
• “Endorsement: Hegar in Dem primary for Senate,” Austin American-Statesman (Feb 14, 2020) https://www.statesman.com/opinion/20200214/endorsement-hegar-in-dem-primary-for-us-senate (paywall – article limit)
• “MJ Hegar says her military experience makes her the fighter Democrats need to take on John Cornyn,’ Texas Tribune (Feb 14, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/02/14/mj-hegar-leans-military-experience-race-beat-us-sen-john-cornyn/ 
• “Royce West helped flip Dallas County for Democrats in 2006. Could he flip Texas in 2020?” Texas Tribune (Feb 13, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/02/13/royce-west-democrat-us-senate-flip-texas-coalition/
• “Texas Sens. Ted Cruz, John Cornyn vote against bipartisan measure to limit Trump’s Iran war powers,” Dallas Morning News (Feb 12, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/13/cruz-cornyn-vote-against-bipartisan-measure-to-limit-trumps-iran-war-powers/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Women raise money for Texas campaigns, but not always in the usual ways,” Reform Austin (Feb 12, 2020) https://www.reformaustin.org/campaign-finance/how-texas-women-raise-money-for-campaigns/
• “John Cornyn defends Trump’s firing of Sondland, Vindeman,” Dallas Morning News (Feb 11, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/11/john-cornyn-defends-trumps-firing-of-sondland-vindman-thats-within-his-prerogative/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Our recommendation in the GOP primary for US Senate,” [editorial] Dallas Morning News (Feb 11, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2020/02/11/we-recommend-in-the-gop-primary-for-us-senate/ (paywall – article limit)
• “MJ Hegar makes second run on bigger stage,” Austin American-Statesman (Feb 10, 2020) https://www.statesman.com/news/20200210/mj-hegar-makes-second-run-on-bigger-stage (paywall – article limit)
• “Royce West, a booming voice in the Texas Senate,” Austin American-Statesman (Feb 10, 2020) https://www.statesman.com/news/20200210/royce-west-booming-voice-in-texas-senate (paywall – article limit)
• “In the Democratic primary for US Senate, we recommend Amanda Edwards or Royce West,” [editorial] Dallas Morning News (Feb 9, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2020/02/09/in-the-democratic-primary-for-us-senate-we-recommend-amanda-edwards-or-royce-west/ (paywall – article limit)
• “John Cornyn campaign says it off-loaded illegal donations before MJ Hegar filed FEC complaint,” Dallas Morning News (Feb 7, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/07/john-cornyn-campaign-says-it-offloaded-illegal-donations-one-day-before-mj-hegar-filed-fec-complaint/  (paywall – article limit)
• “The consequences of impeachment will ripple through Texas’ 2020 races,’ Texas Standard (Feb 6, 2020) https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/the-consequences-of-impeachment-will-ripple-through-texas-2020-races/ (link to audio)
• “MJ For Texas campaign files complaint against Cornyn campaign,” Focus Daily News (Feb 6, 2020) https://www.focusdailynews.com/mj-for-texas-campaign-files-complaint-against-cornyn-campaign/ 
• “Gun control group Giffords endorses Hegar in Senate race,” Austin American-Statesman (Feb 6, 2020) https://www.statesman.com/news/20200206/gun-control-group-giffords-endorses-hegar-in-senate-race (paywall – article limit)
• “Ted Cruz and John Cornyn join successful effort to acquit President Donald Trump,” Texas Tribune (Feb 5, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/02/05/ted-cruz-and-john-cornyn-join-successful-effort-acquit-president-trump/ 
• “Texas lawmakers react to Senate’s acquittal of President Trump,” CBS DFW (Feb 5, 2020), https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/02/05/texas-lawmakers-react-senate-acquittal-president-trump/ 
• “As impeachment trial ends, John Cornyn’s 2020 fate tied to Donald Trump” Dallas Morning News (Feb 3, 2020) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/03/as-impeachment-trial-ends-john-cornyns-2020-fate-tied-to-donald-trump/ (paywall – article limit)
• “Hegar gets heavy outside support in crowded Democratic primary to challenge Cornyn,” Texas Tribune (Feb 3, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/02/03/mj-hegar-backed-votevets-texas-2020-us-senate-democratic-primary/ 
• “Cornyn has $12 million for reelection bid after raising $2.8 million in fourth quarter,” Texas Tribune (Jan 29, 2020) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/01/29/texas-john-cornyn-has-12-million-us-senate-reelection-bid-2020/ 
• “Sen John Cornyn’s 2019 Report Card” GovTrack.us (last updated Jan 18, 2020) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/john_cornyn/300027/report-card/2019