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Donald Trump found liable in civil sexual abuse case. What it means.

A jury found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse in the E. Jean Carroll civil suit. Here's what the verdict could mean for Trump's political future.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said Thursday that former President Donald Trump cannot win the 2024 general election and will look for alternatives as his party plans to take on Democrat Joe Biden next year.

"I think President Trump's time has passed him by," Cornyn said during a conference call with Texas reporters. "And I think what's the most important thing for me is that we have a candidate who can actually win.

"I don't think President Trump understands that when you run in a general election, you have to appeal to voters beyond your base."

The comments from Texas' senior senator come nine days after a civil jury in New York found the former president liablefor sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her after she had come forward with allegations against him. That verdict was followed a day later by Trump's bombastic town hall with CNN, during which he again mocked Carroll.

Despite that verdict coupled with the 34-count criminal indictment related to hush-money payments to conceal a sexual dalliance and an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the removal of classified documents from the White House Trump is the early frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.

Cornyn said that frontrunner status is illusory.

"There's no question that President Trump has some enthusiastic supporters as part of his base," Cornyn said. "That works well for him in a Republican primary, but not well when you need to expand your appeal in a general election."

After losing the 2020 election to Biden, Trump's relationship with Cornyn has soured. Last year the Texan helped broker a bipartisan deal on a federal gun bill that closed the boyfriend loophole by including dating partners on a list of people barred from legally purchasing firearms if convicted of domestic violence. In response, Trump called Cornyn a "RINO," or "Republican in name only."

In the 2020 election when Cornyn was elected to his fourth term in the Senate, he drew about 72,600 more voters in Texas than Trump did when he carried the state for the second time.

Cornyn did not endorse any of Trump's announced or potential rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, saying Republicans "need someone as an alternative" and that he'll be closely watching as the field takes shape.

"Electability to me is key," he said, "because unless you can win an election, you don't get to govern."

John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at jmoritz@gannett.comand follow him on Twitter@JohnnieMo.

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Cornyn says Trump can't win 2024 general election and that 'time ... - El Paso Times