Republican John Cornyn promised to support President Bush, and by last year, he voted for White House-backed bills, more than any other senator.

That's in the past.

"This is about the future; it's about John McCain or Barack Obama; it's about me or my opponent," he said.

Cornyn served as a state district judge in San Antonio, then as a Texas Supreme Court justice and later as attorney general.

Voters picked him in 2002 for the U.S. Senate.

Cornyn backed Bush on the Iraq war.

But with polls showing Bush unpopular, even in Texas, energy prices high and the economy slipping, Cornyn backs away from Bush.

He says it's time for bi-partisan solutions.

"People aren't so much interested in the partisan back-and-forth in Washington. Frankly, they are getting pretty tired of that. I am, too," he said.

Cornyn differed with Bush on immigration by not favoring a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

And Cornyn says he's worked with Democrats to improve open government laws.

The take of Cornyn's opponent, Democrat Rick Noriega: "He's failed the families of the State of Texas."

But Cornyn says he better reflects Texans' values.

"Texans are a pretty conservative bunch," he said.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.