A Texas Senate race has ignited a firestorm after a Republican candidate, Wesley Hunt, filed a police report alleging his family was deliberately targeted with a dangerous breach of privacy. A senior staffer for a rival campaign, Senator John Cornyn, publicly posted a copy of Hunt’s 2016 provisional ballot – and it wasn’t redacted.
The document contained deeply sensitive personal information: the last four digits of Hunt’s Social Security number, his driver’s license ID, and his family’s home address. The post appeared on the social media platform X, and was subsequently reshared by the Cornyn campaign account before being deleted. Hunt’s campaign immediately recognized the gravity of the situation, viewing it as a deliberate act to endanger his family.
When questioned by law enforcement, Hunt unequivocally stated he wanted to press charges. He described a chilling parallel to recent events, referencing the vulnerability felt by families in the public eye, specifically mentioning the case of Savannah Guthrie. Hunt believes his family was recklessly put at risk.
Hunt directly accused the Cornyn campaign of “doxxing” his family – revealing their private information with malicious intent. He expressed dismay that Cornyn himself hadn’t reached out to address the issue, instead allowing his staff’s actions to stand. Hunt vowed to pursue every legal avenue to ensure his parents’ safety and hold those responsible accountable.
The staffer involved, Matt Mackowiak, defended the post, claiming the documents are publicly accessible through county records and were even published by a news outlet. However, the Hunt campaign points out they had previously shared the ballot with a newspaper, but with all sensitive information carefully redacted.
The controversy stems from a challenge to Hunt’s past claims of supporting former President Trump in 2016, a claim complicated by the fact he wasn’t registered to vote at the time. This dispute has now escalated into a serious accusation of endangering a family for political gain.
Adding fuel to the fire, another candidate in the race, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sharply criticized Cornyn, accusing him of “cheering on” the doxxing of Hunt’s family. Paxton questioned Cornyn’s character, suggesting a hypocrisy between his public persona and his campaign’s actions.
Legal experts are divided on whether criminal charges will be possible. While laws exist to protect against the malicious release of personal information, proving the specific intent to harm or intimidate is often a high legal hurdle. The case hinges on establishing whether the intent was truly to expose political affiliations or to cause genuine harm.
As early voting in the Texas GOP primary commenced, Hunt issued a stark plea to the Cornyn campaign, urging them to take the matter seriously. The incident has cast a dark shadow over the race, raising critical questions about the boundaries of political campaigning and the safety of candidates and their families.
The Republican Party of Texas General Counsel emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, citing recent threats against public figures as a reason to prioritize the safety of elected officials and their loved ones. The situation remains fluid, with law enforcement seeking to retrieve the deleted post from the social media platform.
