As President Donald Trump increases pressure on Senate Republicans to end the filibuster, a key Texas senator who once strongly defended the rule is now signaling a willingness to change it — at least in limited form.
Sen. John Cornyn said Wednesday he is open to considering adjustments that would allow spending bills to pass with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster. The shift marks a notable departure for the longtime senator, who last year pledged to preserve the filibuster while seeking a leadership role in the chamber.
Cornyn’s comments come amid a prolonged government shutdown, during which Republicans have repeatedly attempted to pass short-term funding bills that Democrats have blocked. Because most legislation requires 60 votes to advance, Republicans have been unable to move forward without Democratic support.
Cornyn suggested that the standoff could push senators to rethink how spending legislation moves through the chamber.
“The part that, to me, cries out for change, is the fact that we haven’t been able to do regular appropriations for awhile,” Cornyn said. He argued the shutdown demonstrates how “a willful minority being able to shut down the government any time they want to” is untenable, adding that spending bills and continuing resolutions “may be a good candidate” for a different voting threshold.
Although Cornyn did not endorse fully eliminating the rule, his position puts him at odds with his two Republican primary challengers, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, who both say the filibuster should be abolished entirely.
Paxton wrote on X that Republicans should use their current control of government to pursue major policy goals without fear that Democrats will later reverse course.
“President Trump is absolutely right that it’s time to end the filibuster,” Paxton wrote, arguing that Democrats would do the same “the moment they’re back.”
Hunt also voiced support for ending the filibuster, saying the Senate is moving “at a glacial pace” despite voters having delivered partisan control to Republicans.
The debate over the rule has taken on added political weight because all three Texas GOP candidates are seeking Trump’s endorsement. The former president has made clear that he wants the filibuster gone and has tied its elimination to Republican electoral success.
“It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster,” Trump said Wednesday during a meeting with GOP senators.
But despite Trump’s push, Senate GOP leadership has continued to maintain that Republicans currently do not have enough votes to overhaul the rule. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly said the filibuster will remain intact as long as he leads the party.
Democrats, meanwhile, are also divided on the issue. Some, such as former Rep. Colin Allred and State Rep. James Talarico, have advocated for changes — but their proposals involve replacing today’s silent filibuster with a “talking filibuster,” requiring senators to hold the floor continuously if they want to block legislation.
Talarico argued that the current system allows legislation to stall without accountability.
“Legislators should be able to do just that and then people should be able to evaluate it and make a judgment in the next election,” he said. “The current filibuster rules disrupt that feedback loop in the democratic process.”
Republicans appear increasingly split between preserving long-standing procedural norms and using their majority to enact swift policy changes. Whether the shutdown drags on may determine how far those internal pressures go — and whether Cornyn’s new openness marks an isolated adjustment or the beginning of a broader shift within the Senate GOP.
