'Empty suit': GOP Sen Tillis unloads on Trump-backed Paxton in interview ahead of Texas primary

WASHINGTON, DC: Retiring GOP Senator Thom Tillis launched a blistering attack on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently got Trump's endorsement in a high-stakes GOP Senate Primary race against Republican Sen John Cornyn.

Thom Tillis, in an interview on CNN’s 'State of the Union' on Sunday, May 24, called Paxton an “empty suit” and “failure.” The North Carolina Republican held nothing back as he called “ethically-challenged” an understatement to describe Paxton.

“To call Paxton ethically challenged is to call Jeffrey Dahmer suffering from an eating disorder,” Tillis told Tapper after the CNN anchor referred to Paxton as “ethically challenged.”

“This guy is an empty suit and will do us no service by being in the US Congress. I hope that Texans realize how tough [incumbent Senator] John Cornyn is, how pro-Second Amendment he is, how pro-limited government he is, how pro-America first he is," he continued.

"And when they go to the polls on Tuesday, I hope that they know that they have got a great American who deserves reelection, and the other guy is going to be nothing but an anchor on our conference for as long as he’s in the US Senate,” Tillis said.

Trump endorses Ken Paxton over John Cornyn

Ken Paxton, who has faced numerous scandals over the years in connection with alleged bribery, fraud, and other misconduct, received Trump’s endorsement earlier this week for a high-stakes Texas GOP primary challenge to be held on Tuesday.

“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,” Trump said.

He added, "Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas.”

Thom Tillis says Ken Paxton 'doesn't deserve to be' in the US Senate

Tillis, who has frequently been labeled a “RINO” by Donald Trump, was asked by Jake Tapper whether retiring Republican senators now feel freer to speak openly as they near the end of their terms.

“Is there going to be something of a ‘you only live once, YOLO’ caucus of Republicans on their way out the door that President Trump has helped pressure and instigate?” Tapper asked.

“I try to tell everybody, ‘folks, if you’re not running for reelection, then that one filter that you need to make sure your words are measured so that the Democrats can’t use it against you and maybe some Republicans, you have just got to have that extra filter,'” Tillis said.

“And I’m telling you, it’s great not having it, so that you can you can get the same point across, but now you can use unambiguous words. And I’m being unambiguous on Paxton. He is a failure. He doesn’t deserve to be in the US Senate.”